Marriage of Near Kindred – The consequence of the intermarriage of persons of the same blood, such as first or second cousin, is perpetuate and intensify any constitutional infirmity in the next generation. Family weakness or defects perhaps of no grave importance, are confirmed by intermarriage, and may readily become developed into actual disease. The marriage of near relatives in whose families a consumptive cachexia exists leads to a concentration of the disease in the offspring and lays the foundation of some of the most destructive maladies to which the human frame is liable. More than this. A convergence of ancestral inability to disease not tubercular is likely to lead to that disease in it most active form. A large proportion of those children who are born with defective sense – blind, deaf, dumb, etc. – are the offspring of near relations. It has been stated on the highest authority that the marriage of first cousin is undoubtedly the most prolific cause of congenital deaf mutism known and it frequently affects the sight and constitution generally and the mental capacity as well. Of nine children of working man, eight were deaf and dumb, and so weak in constitution that one time the three youngest (though born separately) could not walk.
In a clergyman’s family, out of eight children, four were afflicted, one being deaf and dumb with imperfect sight, another deaf, dumb, and blind two others deaf, dumb, and blind, two others deaf, dumb, and idiotic. Such cases could be multiplied almost indefinitely. They are full of warning against the marriage of blood relations. It has, indeed, been argued that marriage of consanguinity do not of themselves entail any evil. But the preponderating weight of evidence is opposed to this. Persons with a slight hereditary liability to consumption. or other affection, but without any active disease, forming judicious marriages in families of healthy blood, may lead to such an admixture and dilution of the disease; element affecting the one parental side, that, in process of time, it may become altogether inoperative. But there are very few families in a community such as ours, so free from lurking mischief as to be able to venture on such a course.
Restrictions to Marriage – The tendency of the remarks in this Section, it may be objected, is to restrict the personal liberty of individuals in marriage. We candidly admit this to be the case, and although somewhat in advance of the age, the doctrine is, we believe, thoroughly sound. The modern views of evolution especially as propounded by Darwin, prove that our nature, bodily and mental, is the direct outcome of that of preceding generations; and that we, the present generations, are “like the living fringe of the coral reef, resting on an extinct basis afforded by our forefathers, and shall in our own turn form a basis of our descendants.” If it be argued that the future must be allowed to develop itself without any attempts on our part to, mould it, the above authors instances compulsory education, vaccination, and sanitary laws as evidences that we are now making attempts to influence the future; and he justly adds, that as our scientific knowledge becomes wider and more exact, we shall see the wisdom of extending the scope of this kind of legislation. “Simultaneously,” writes Mr. George Darwin, “With the diffusion of the belief in the truth of the doctrine of heredity will come the recognition that it is as much a duty to transmit to the rising generation vigorous minds and bodies, as to hand down to them a finely constituted society and government.”
We have elsewhere enforced this doctrine of restricting the liberty of individuals in marriage,* (*Hereditary Predisposition.” p.26 in “Consumption and Tuberculosis of the Lungs.”) and can only here express the hope that wider diffusion of the doctrines of the hereditary nature of the diseases of humanity may lead individuals to appreciate the extent or which their capacity for weal or woe, and that of their children and their children’s children, depends upon their acting in harmony with the knowledge they enjoy of nature and nature’s laws, and the wonderful power that an existing generation possesses of moulding, to a very high degree, the fates of that which is to succeed it.
The general correctness of the fragmentary observations made in this Section is abundantly established by physiology. It is not presumed that they can or always will be literally acted upon, at least not until the laws of our natural being are more generally studied and better understood. Our object, however, is that they should be instilled as first principles in the minds of the young and their counsellors, in order that their application may facilitated circumstances permit.
25. STERILITY
There is perhaps no condition in the life of a married woman that more frequently gives rise to reproach and domestic unhappiness than that of Sterility. If she be sterile, she will fail to secure the great purpose of marriage – to “multiply, and replenish the earth.” From circumstances that frequently come before us, we regard the subject as one of sufficient importance to justify the appropriation of a Section to its consideration.
CAUSES – To determine in many cases the causes of Sterility, considerable medical knowledge of necessary, and in particular, the anatomy and physiology of the generative organs. The application of such knowledge not unfrequently enables its possessor to detect and remove causes of Sterility long in existence that would otherwise have escaped observation.
The causes of Sterility may be local, affecting some portion of the generative apparatus; or constitutional, the sexual functions suffering in common with those of the body generally.
Local – The local causes are very varied, and we can only mention a few of the more prominent. Such are – an imperforate hymen, or one only so slightly perforate that effectual congress is prevented; narrowness or partial closure of the vagina, neither as a natural defect or as the consequence of difficult labours; tumours or polypi in the uterus or vagina; closure or partial closure of the neck of the womb, after being torn, as a consequence of difficult labour; the improper use of caustics or aphrodisiacs; the use of purgative drugs; inflammation of the ovaries; adhesion or occlusion of the Fallopian tubes; Subinvolution, displacements, or flexions of the womb; Leucorrhoea; ill-timed or too frequent sexual intercourse; ulceration of the womb, etc.
Leucorrhoea – This discharge may exert considerable influence by diminishing susceptibility of fecundation, either by its profuseness or by its acridity. It seldom exists, however, to an extent sufficient to cause Sterility, without its influence on the general health becoming more or less apparent.
Membranous Dysmenorrhoea may be a cause of barrenness in this wise; conception may take place, but at the return of the menstrual epoch the patient experience an abortion by the throwing off the lining membrane of the womb (which should form the outer membrane of the foetus), and with it the ovum is expelled. The cure of Sterility from this cause can only be accomplished by the correction of the tendency of the lining of the womb to exfoliate.
Constitutional – The constitutional include those in which the general physical powers are exhausted, as the consequence of acute or chronic disease; obesity; severe, protracted, or unaccustomed exertion; too close application to business, or excessive exertion of the brain, thus absorbing an undue amount of nervous power which otherwise would be more equally diffused fro the efficient discharge of the general functions of the body. In this way the generative system may be impaired by the divergence of the nervous influence which its healthy functions demand. Under constitutional causes may be classed very early and very late marriages, which show a large proportion of cases of Sterility.
Luxurious Living – Indolent and luxurious habits, excessive indulgence in the pleasures of the table, and especially the free use of wine, are frequent causes of Sterility. The industrious and frugal portions of the community are, it is well known, far more prolific than the higher ranks of society. In his work on the law of population, Mr. Sadler incontrovertibly proves that the fecundity of the human race is diminished by the indolent and luxurious mode of life prevalent among the rich, whilst it is augmented by the industrial habits and spare diet of the poor; by leading to excessive eating may cause Sterility by leading to excessive accumulation of fat. There is an intimate connection between the sexual and the nutritive functions; and thus ladies, when the child-bearing period has passed, often become corpulent.
Irritability – Defective, or, on the other hand, excessive nervous irritability, may operate as an obstacle to impregnation. Deficient sensitiveness may hinder fecundation; or, the activity of the structures may be in such excess that their vitality is destroyed, as it were, by their own vehemence.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."