old and the young pass down the generations.
Nothing but a complete change of environment can counteract the
inevitable tendency. When social classes arise and the cleavage is clear
and established, no great effort is made by the superior members to aid
the inferior. In fact they are almost invariably left to themselves.
Poverty and wretchedness are not transmitted in the blood, but in the
environment.

It is not many years since physicians and communities believed that
tuberculosis was inherited. In all communities there were instances of
this dread disease spreading out through families and down the
generations. It required the sacrifice of many lives and the careful
investigation of scientists to discover that tuberculosis was the result
of germs, generally accompanied by an impoverished system. These germs
were transferred by close association and lack of sanitary conditions.
It is as easy to transmit shiftlessness, idleness and lax habits as
disease.

Dugdale's figures of delinquency in the Jukes family are doubtless much
too high. A large percentage of facts was gained from gossip and hearsay
about those long since dead. The details show that many crimes charged
were not even proved, others were evidently not crimes, and in any small
community suspicion would rest upon a member of this family who was
accused. Then too, the poor in court and out have a hard time defending
themselves. They are frequently convicted when accused. The evidence in
regard to the subnormal and defective is still less satisfactory.
Without close examination and thorough tests, illiteracy generally
passes as subnormality. Very few of the subjects were submitted to a
careful test. It is at least probable that this family was not much
different from the other families who lived in like circumstances in the
community.

Dugdale's original examination covered 709 cases out of about 1200 that
were supposed to be living at the time. Of this number, 180 are put down
as having received institutional and outdoor relief. The criminals and
offenders are put down at 140. Habitual thieves convicted and
unconvicted are listed at 60. Common prostitutes are put down at 50.

After Dugdale's investigation the family, from industrial and other
conditions, became scattered and spread out over many states. A record
has lately been made of the descendants of this family, the later record
showing much improvement in the stock. This must be due to environment.