TAKNOWSKY'S CONCLUSIONS 297 



symptoms, by malformations, or by other abnormalities ; this 

 hereditary influence is strongest in the second generation of the 

 syphilitic family, diminishes in the third, and vanishes from the 

 fourth generation onwards." 



Professor Tamowsky adds his conviction that " syphilis exer- 

 cises an incomparably worse influence on race and society than 

 on the individual," and that the " disease does not so much 

 menace the patient himself as his descendants." And when we 

 come to analyse the above conclusions of the eminent syphili- 

 graphist, we shall not find much cause for congratulation. It is 

 true that the occasional immunity from hereditary syphihtic 

 influence from the third generation onwards is insisted upon ; 

 but what are the conditions of this immunity ? That the second 

 generation of the syphilitic family be not contaminated by 

 syphilis ; and, further, that no other unfavourable variation — 

 no nervous or constitutional disorder — ^be present to exercise 

 its influence. And how often are these conditions reahsed ? 

 How often is the second generation of the syphilitic family 

 exempt from syphilis ? And how often may not a nervous or 

 constitutional disorder exist even where syphilis has not been in- 

 herited ? This conditional immunity is practically reduced to zero . 



And now let us glance at the consequences of hereditary 

 syphilis in the second generation, in which Professor Tamowsky 

 declares the disease to manifest itself with greatest force. Firstly, 

 hereditary syphihs destroys the offspring, in the majority of 

 cases, during the first months of conception ; hence the frequent 

 syphilitic abortions. Secondly, it may kiU the ofispring at a 

 more advanced period of gestation ; hence the premature births, 

 which are also very frequent. Thirdly, it may kill the offspring 

 at birth ; children are either bom dead, or survive only a few 

 hours. Fourthly, it Mils the offspring with merciless severity 

 during the first weeks of their existence. According to the 

 statistics of the Charity Board in Paris (Assistance Publique), 

 out of a total of 996 children bom in the hospitals from syphihtic 



