ies a man who is
sexually impotent or who is disagreeable to her and incapable of
satisfying her sexually.

While hysteria, in itself, is not hereditary, it, nevertheless, is a
question whether a strongly hysterical woman would make a satisfactory
mother. The entire family history should be investigated. If the
hysteria is found to be an isolated instance in the given girl, it may
be disregarded, if not extreme; but if the entire family or several
members of it are neuropathic, the condition is a dysgenic one.
Marriage may be contracted, provided no children are brought into the
world until several years have elapsed and the mother's organization
seems to have become more stable. In some cases, a child acts as a
good medicine against hysteria. In short, every case must be examined
individually on its merits, and the counsel of a good psychologist or
psychoanalyst may prove very valuable.

=Alcoholism=

A good deal depends upon what we understand by alcoholism. The
fanatics consider a person an alcoholic who drinks a glass of beer or
wine with his meals. This is nonsense. This is not alcoholism, and
cannot be considered a dysgenic factor. But, where there is a distinct
habit, so that the individual _must_ have his alcohol daily, or if he
goes on an occasional drunken "spree," marriage must be advised
against. And where the man (or woman) is what we call a real drunkard,
marriage not only should be advised against, but most decidedly should
be prohibited by law.

Alcoholism, as a habit, is one of the worst dysgenic factors to reckon
with. First, the offspring is liable to be affected, which is
sufficient in itself to condemn marriage with an alcoholic. Second,
the earning powers of an alcoholic are generally diminished, and are
likely gradually to diminish more and more. Third, an alcoholic is
irritable, quarrelsome, and is liable to do bodily injury to his wife.
Fourth an alcoholic often develops sexual weakness or complete sexual
impotence. Fifth, alcoholics are likely to develop extreme jealousy,
which may become pathological, even to the extent of a psychosis.

If both the husband and wife are alcoholics, then marriage between
them which results in children is not merely a sin, but a crime.

We do not now come across cases so often as we used to of women
marrying drunkards in the hope or with the hope of reforming them. But
such cases still happen. This is a very foolish procedure. Let the man
reform first,