A study of the degeneracy of the jaws of the human race / by Eugene S. Talbot.
- Talbot, Eugene S. (Eugene Solomon), 1847-1924.
- Date:
- 1892
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A study of the degeneracy of the jaws of the human race / by Eugene S. Talbot. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the University of Toronto, Harry A Abbott Dentistry Library, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harry A Abbott Dentistry Library, University of Toronto.
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![tissues is below par in constitutional diseases ; that is, that wounds do not heal so readily in a person the subject of constitutional disease. The development of tissue from an embryonal type to mature tissue is identical with the regenerative process'^ in the healing of wounds, or, as Sennf calls it, the vegetative process. Therefore the same causes that retard the one process must retard the other. Following out the theory of Metschnikoff and his followers, we must conclude that the energy of the organism is expended in repelling the advances and barring the further progress of the micro-organisms that are the causes of these constitutional diseases. In consequence of this continuous warfare between the cells and microbes, the tissue- cells that are regenerated do not increase the size of the organ as in normal development. That these constitutional diseases do cause an arrest of development in children is well known to every ob- servant parent. Sometimes this arrest of development will be perma- nent at the time of the disease, but more often the growth of the child is stopped for one or more years, and frequently development will not go on until the child is taken to another climate. The effect upon the jaws and teeth is very marked. Especially is this the case in the upper jaw. When arrest of development of the teeth takes place, pits and furrows are found upon the enamel. Every specialist of experience is able to determine by these pits and furrows the exact year when arrest of development took place. The well-known Hutchinson's teeth, familiar to every physician and dentist, are well-marked illustrations of arrest of development due to constitutional disease. Neuroses. It is a singular fact that there seems to be a fascination for neurotic individuals to seek one another's society. Hence the large number of literary societies which are being formed throughout the country, en- tertainments and social gatherings at which brilliant men and women are to be found. These individuals not only seek one another's society, but marriages are the rule among them. There seems to be an irresistible force or liking one for the other. As a result of such marriages, children are born who, if they live, in many cases become geniuses or possess unbounded egotism. They may become idiotic, deaf and dumb, blind, or later in life insane, criminals, or drunkards. Dr. Bannister,J after citing several instances in which the degenerate intermarried, expresses the opinion that such marriages constitute a potent factor in the perpetuation of neuroses. Similar opinions are expressed by Dr. G. J. Kiernan,i^ who has also observed similar cases. He refers the degeneracy of genius to this factor. Genius attracts abnormal females, as light-houses do birds. Dr. Manning || has found that the peculiar sympathy which the neurotics have for one another often results in marriage. The peculiarities of persons who visit their wives and husbands in insane hospitals are remarkable ; and it some- times happens that the least demonstrably insane member of the family is under care, while the most demonstrably lunatic is at large. Nesbit.^j^ from his studies on genius, draws the conclusion that neuropaths seem * Hamilton, Pathology. f^Sepn^ Prinqipl^e^s of Surgery. X Anierica^i Lancet, vol. vii. ''/.•■''> ' ' ' ] • ■ ? Neurolos^ical Revieiv, vol. i;, ^{^,^4^,^4'N^'.^^'^olp^ist, vol. xiii. Ausiralian Medial, Qqzeite, 18^5. ^ •[ Insanity of Genius, page 325.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21202643_0061.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
