nifested in their children, but reappearing in their grandchildren.

Not long ago I was in a family where both parents and all the children
had dark hair but one, and she had long, bright auburn ringlets. I
asked, "Where did you get your hair?"

"From my red-headed grandmother," she answered, with a laugh,
indicating that the matter had been so often discussed in her hearing
that she understood it quite fully.

To cover the whole scope of the law of heredity would take more time
than we have to spare. You can follow out the line of thought, and
make practical application of the facts and principles here laid
down.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

HEREDITARY EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, ETC.

Civilized life in its progress is accompanied by certain customs and
habits which are detrimental to the individual health, and therefore
to national health. The dress of women is not merely an unimportant
matter, to be made the subject of sneers or jests. Fashions often
create deformities, and are therefore worthy of most philosophic
consideration, especially when we know that the effects of these
deformities may be transmitted.

The tightly-compressed waist of the girl displaces her internal
organs, weakens her digestion, and deprives her children of their
rightful inheritance. They are born with lessened vitality, with
diminished nerve power, and are less likely to live, or, living, are
more liable not only to grow up physically weak, but also lacking in
mental and moral stamina. This weakness may manifest itself in immoral
tendencies, or in some form of inebriety. It is now recognized that
alcoholism will produce nerve degeneration, but it is not so well
understood that nerve degeneration may be a factor in producing
inebriates from alcohol or other poisons.

Dr. Crothers says: "Hysteria, convulsions, unreasonable anger,
excitement, depression, credulity, skepticism, most unusual
emotionalism and faulty reasoning, are some of the signs of nerve
degeneration," and adds that this central failure of nerve and brain
power is often accompanied by a resulting alcohol or drug inebriety.
That is, the weak and degenerate nerves crave a stimulant, and the
weak will yield to the demand, and inebriety result. If this
degeneration of nerve comes from the low vitality given by the mother,
because of her unhealthful habits of dress and life, is it not wise
that in her early womanhood she should know of this possibility, and
guard against i