494 The Philippine Journal of Science ms 



theory was renounced by Buffon,^ Lecat ^ attributes it to the 

 influence of heat ; Mansfield * and others to maternal impressions. 

 The latter theory is very common in the Philippines, as is also 

 the theory that it is due to the morbid imagination of the mother 

 during the period of pregnancy. 



The consensus of opinion now seems to be that the condition is 

 due to faulty development of the pigment-producing apparatus. 



According to Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire,* three varieties of al- 

 binism exist : the complete form, in which the pigmentary matter 

 is entirely lacking ; the partial form, in which the pigment exists 

 in some places and is absent in others ; and the incomplete form, 

 in which pigment exists in all parts, but in quantity below 

 the normal. 



In nearly all cases albinism is congenital. However, partial 

 albinism may be accidental; but no case has been recorded of 

 complete albinism being other than congenital. 



Doctor Montinola, district health officer for the Province of 

 Occidental Negros, who has given the subject considerable study, 

 believes that the disease is of neuropathic origin and that in all 

 cases the condition can be referred to defects in the nervous 

 constitution of the ancestors. 



Doctor Hurley, district health officer for Iloilo Province, 

 collected 10 cases in his district, in which he believed that con- 

 sanguinity was an important factor. In some cases the relation- 

 ship was so close as to include the parents in the same family. 



In complexion albinos are white, yellowish, red, or reddish. 

 Their eyes are blue, and in complete albinos the globe of the 

 eye is entirely deprived of pigment. In Bohol, albinos are usually 

 shortsighted and fear the light, and in many cases there is some 

 bodily deformity. If the eyelids of these people are opened, 

 rapid oscillations of the eyeball take place. Such cases exist 

 elsewhere, but more particularly in this island. 



There is a tradition among these people to the effect that many 

 centuries ago a white race lived in the mountains, and that the 

 present albinos are the atavistic descendants of some members 

 of this race who intermarried with the dark-skinned natives. 



It is a common belief that albinos are mentally subnormal. 

 This is true only in so far as degeneration has influenced their 

 physical condition. In albinos with healthy bodies no intel- 

 lectual inferiority has been noticed, and cases of weak mentality 

 which have been observed could be accounted for by some organic 

 defect. 



' Ciencias Medicas, etc., see footnote 3. 



