HEREDITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2735, 15 August 1906, Page 76

HEREDITY.

By C. W. SjXeeby, M.D. (Jack^s Scientific Series.) Edinburgh and London: T. C. and E. C. Jack. Dunedin: R. Jr Stark and Co. and Whitcombe and Tombs" (Limited):

(Is 3d.)

This is one of a series of cleverly-com-piled booklets which, collectively, may be described as the "Smart Set" amongst scientific minor manuals. Dr Saleeby is the author of most of them — all, of the biological ones— r and Dlr. Saleeby is, a very smart young man himself, the- Lord Macaulay, as it were, ,of scientific interpretation up to date, is ;^ of 'other men's mifcefjais; is somewfflitP v givei* to turns of Mightiness, and occasionally forgets the respect due. to some -of those, -his betters,, whose , labori&usly--- garnered knowledge forms his own sole stock-in-.

LLCIUC. ' The present volume is, however, very free- from the faults alluded, to, and hardly anyone not hopelessly stupid could peruse it without some profit. Heredity- is a subject that is, by "the man' in the street," as thoroughly misunderstood as any subject well could be. There is no good reason why this should be, because the literature of the subject is quite accessible and understandable as well. To those whom my recommendation may, induce to read the Mork presently under consideration, I would suggest that they follow it up by careful perusal of Professor J. AVthur Thomson's volume entitled "The Science of Life." It is published by Blackie and Son at 2s 6d, and it is worth its weight in gold as an authoritative statement of modern biological philosophy. The plain facts of our present knowledge of heredity, and 'I,he important implications they carry with them also, are made quite obvious as presented by Dr Saleeby in this brief and clearly-wordetl summary and discussion. The various theories of heredity, tho vexed question of the transmission of "acquired characters," the relative import-, ance of hertdity and environment, are adequately dealt with, and what I take to be sensible. ~ftnd practically- useful conclusions are in instance '^Hri'Ted . at by the author. The same has to be said) of the chapters devoted to lieredity and physical degeneration, heredity, and disease, and mental heredity — to all of the sections indeed. No ordinary reader may be to blame for failing to master Weisniann even in the excellent English translations of his works, and so with, the writings of others who have worked upon the problems of heredity with the tools of the new Darwinism. There can, however, be no excuse fur anyone with the least pretension to interest in these important matters failing to perceive and to be enlightened hy the rays thrown upon them by Dr Saleeby. The light is borrowed light certainly, and got from many sources, but it is tUe author's merit that die has focussed these rays cleverly upon every sjot where they are needed, and ho has? done it in small space.

The numerous quotations and references aie from and to leading autlfbritics only — Darwin, Spencer, Galton, Hacckel, Karl Pearson, J. A. Thomson, De Vries, Cossar Ewart, Hertwig, Archdall Reid, Mendel, Batison, and son^e eight or nine other notables whose results are of value. Weismarm, who kads all the stud-ents of heredity now living, whether willing or not , is given full and clear account of. There are chapter^ on the modes of reproduction, the fact* and functions of "sex, the origin of variations, Mendelism, Reversion, etc. All of them are highly informed with the latest facts, and suggestive with the best and most rational hypotheses. Were it for nothing beyond the helpful bearing of many passages upon the welfare of infant life, this small book would merit the earnest attention of young^ parents, though its appeal undoubtedly is to those who seek knowledge merely because they wish to know. DINORNLS.

— The population of Greater London w» 6,381,000, or 61 per acre.

Tha Case df Mr. R» H. FLETCHER,

(BY A LOCAL REPORTER.)

Absolute hunger is not a trial which fa usually familiar in this country, and however ovuch imagination may take the place of experience the realisation of its terrors can not be very vivid unless they have been endured ; but when all the evils of life ara reduced ta 'their elementary forms, sickness ia undoubtedly the -most real, and it is to save our fellow s from hardships in that respect that such aid as the following was solicited by a reporter from Mr. RobertHenry Fletcher, of 9 Hope-street, Dunedin,whb said : '*"•,, "Some four yeara.back my health was ip, a very queer state indeed. It was after th>.; / bnsy awtsonoi Christmas time that I found^ my nerves had collapsed under the heavy I strain,' but I .was in hopes that the rest J [ would "get* daring the .-holidays might havV i the effect of bracing me up again. It was not^fo-* b'e^ hdWever ,.attd ifirtea* "of getting.better. I got considerably worse." i «You mew thats other complication* "irbi^'^^ng^wtedthepreßsman. i-, " Just so i for, one thing I experienced th« " disadvantage of losing my;, appetite, as I ' could net eat anything with tb? f«tsk degree • ot relish, and the' tuiforttmate part of it all ? was, that the small quantity I did partaks ' of did not do me any good. ♦ Quite the reverse, in point of fact, for then I had all the -■ unpleasant sensations of indigestion .to con' tend with, not the least annoying of which was a great- sense of oppression in my chest, . as if what I had swallowed had stopped^ there and turned to fttone^ -Troubles were > further augmented thjfougfi,fche Sef mentation : •f the food, which jjjrought^ about * veryi uncomfortable wnsaw»*~yn t^he stomach when it' became -ffllsl with wind, atfd J£ suffered very much with assort* of headach** like a throbbing in my temples. _It was a. very unhappy Christmas for me, but I would not have minded that so .much .if I had only gbtbetterand been able to start work afresh." " You were suffering some time, then." " Yes, unfortunately ; and aII the'-doctor'i : medicines and patent medicines conld not alleviate my distress. I grew more languid and melancholy than ever. Signs of- kidney „ disorders cropped up, and I was persecuted •with acute pains Across the loins, which made, it a misery to walk.»-*A yellow fur spread across my tongue, showing >he bad state of - my internal organs, And- 1 always Juad'-ar, viler 'Iffte jfTChe mbnfcfii^ijfthe ro^fii|ii especi- \ ally.' Restlessness at nights was another thine that helped' to inerease'iriy wearinwsv^ and I did not seem any better even when I. did get> little sleep, for I felt so warn out at the beginning of each day that I did nob «are how- things went. X usetl to have dreamß like the nightmat •..an.d'wheu I got up from bed in the mornings my limbs almost) ached for the want of, strength. The doctor* said'it w*»my neryfi* tliat^were oausfng-ali th» trouble, and no doubt he w*»-right, for they used to shake terribly, ana another indication : of my nervous affections was that my mind was always upset with thoughts that wer« never agreeable. I used to get one littl« worrying idea in my mind, and I could think of nothing else for hours. It ,was a life oi wretchedness that 'l was leading, and lam thankful tbat at last I purchased somi Clements Tonic and set myself free.""How did you "come to take dementi Tonic?" • . I " Through reading some testimonials about it, and I think I ought to give one in return to guide.those who are still suffering. It was a wonderful difference which Clements Tonic made in me, steadying my nerves, making me eat, and .overruling my internal disorders so completely that soon my digestion was all right. It was a perfect cure for flatulence aud chest pains, and for making me sleep well I give Clements Tonic the palm over everything. In course of time the' pains across my loins had taken their departure, and I was intensely gratified to find that my kidney disorders had been remedied, because the symptoms belongiug ; ' to that complaint were gone, And "with each bottle of Clements Tonic my- vitality- in- ,\ creased remarkably. Whett* my - nervous system was properly again I had* . no anxious thoughts to worry me, and when I could resume work with the, same vigor as before my illness I sincerely thanked Jlements Tonic, for it had made a healthy man of me." . . "Can I make use of your statements ? " " You can publish them to the whole world, in any form you like."

-*The Rev. F: Jesson^has just died" »i Grantham (Linos.) in his ninety-third yeafi| He has delivered nearly 5500 sermons i* that town, and ia one church, alone, h.%. has preached 3700 sermons. —An Open-air League has been formef in London, with Lady Jeane as its moving spirit, to combat consumption, chienJt anion,? the poor. It is intended to estab« lish branches all over the country, 6o aflt to spread the knowledge of the necessity, of fresh air in the prevention of consump* tion, and to provide open-air sanatoria, the first of which will be eejablislifi f» the Berkshire Hills.