on blastophthoria. The recent researches of Bezzola seem to
prove that the old belief in the bad quality of children conceived
during drunkenness is not without foundation. Relying on the Swiss
census of 1900, in which there figure nine thousand idiots, and after
careful examination of the bulletins concerning them, this author has
proved that there are two acute annual maximum periods for the
conception of idiots (calculated from nine months before birth): the
periods of carnival and vintage, when the people drink most. In the
wine-growing districts the maximum conception of idiots at the time of
vintage is enormous, while it is almost _nil_ at other periods.
Moreover, these two maximum periods come at the time of year when
conception is at a minimum among the rest of the population; the
maximum of normal conceptions occurring at the beginning of summer.

If these facts are confirmed by further research, we may conclude that
even acute alcoholism has a blastophthoric action. We may, therefore,
assume that when a germinal cell leaves its gland at the moment when
it is impregnated with alcohol, and achieves conjugation, it is unable
to return to its normal condition, for want of opportunity to be
completely and promptly cleansed by nutrition and the circulation.
This explains how it may transmit to the individual which develops
from it all kinds of taints and defects.

After what we have said, we can tabulate the destructive effects of
the narcotic poisons and alcohol in particular, in the sexual domain,
both from the individual and social points of view, as follows:

(1). Irreflective sexual unions, resulting from exaltation of the
sexual appetite and temporary paralysis of the sentiments which
inhibit such unions in persons who are not under the influence of
alcohol. These include the seduction of girls, orgies with prostitutes
in brothels, and the procreation of children with low-class women, or
under unfavorable conditions.

(2). Increase of venereal disease. I have made statistics which show
that about 75 per cent. of venereal disease is contracted by men under
the influence of alcohol, chiefly by persons who are slightly
intoxicated and rendered enterprising thereby.

(3). All kinds of misfortunes and catastrophes, such as illegitimate
pregnancies, despair, suicide, etc., resulting from irreflective
sexual unions and venereal disease.

(4). The production of the majority of sexual crimes also resulting
from