to
strive after healthy, normal mediocrity, then the principles of animal
eugenics become applicable to the human race. If, on the other hand,
we want talent, if we want genius, if we want benefactors of the human
race, then we must go very slow with our eugenic applications.

=Drug Addiction or Narcotism=

Addiction to drugs, whether it be opium, morphine, heroin or cocaine,
is a strongly dysgenic factor. The addiction to the drug is of itself
not transmissible, but the weakened constitution or degeneracy which
is generally responsible for the development of the drug addiction is
inheritable.

A few cases of drug addiction are external; that is, the patient may
have a good healthy constitution, no hereditary taint, and still
because during some sickness he was given morphine a number of times
he may have developed an addiction to the drug. But those cases are
rare. And such cases, if they are cured and if the addiction is
completely overcome, may marry.

But in most cases it isn't the drug addiction that causes the
degeneracy; it is the degeneracy or the neuropathic or psychopathic
constitution that causes the drug addiction. And such cases are bad
matrimonial risks.

And it is a very risky thing for a woman to marry an addict with the
idea of reforming him. As I said about the alcoholic: Let him reform
first, let him stay reformed for a few years, and then the rest is not
so great.

=Consanguineous Marriages=

Consanguinity means blood relationship, and consanguineous marriages
are marriages between near blood relatives. The physician is
frequently consulted as to the permissibility or danger of marriages
between near relations. The question generally concerns first cousins,
second cousins, uncle and niece, and nephew and aunt.

The popular idea is that consanguineous marriages are bad _per se_.
The children of near relatives, such as first cousins, are apt to be
defective, deaf and dumb, blind, or feebleminded, and what not. This
popular idea, as so many popular ideas are, is wrong. And still there
is of course, as there always is, some foundation for it. The matter,
however, is quite simple.

We know that many traits, good and bad, are transmitted by heredity.
And naturally when traits are possessed by both father and mother they
stand a much greater chance of being transmitted to the offspring than
if possessed by one of the parents alone. Now then, if a certain bad
trait, such as epilepsy or insan