Abstract
DURING the course of the year 1910 there issued from the Eugenics Laboratory of London University a memoir, entitled “A First Study of the Influence of Parental Alcoholism on the Physique and Ability of the Offspring.” The conclusion arrived at by the authors (Prof. Karl Pearson and Miss Elderton) was, broadly speaking, that parental alcoholism has no such influence. A result so sensational and so opposed to the opinions of many social workers was bound to arouse a storm of hostile criticism. It weakened one of the arguments against the excessive use of alcohol, and was interpreted as being a direct encouragement of vice.
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References
(1) "A Second of the Influence of Parental Alcoholism on the Physique and Ability of the Offspring". By Karl Pearson, F.R.S., and Ethel M. Elderton . Eugenics Laboratory Memoirs, XIII. Pp. 35. (London: Dulau and Co., Ltd., 1910). Price 4s.
"A Preliminary Study of Extreme Alcoholism in Adults". By Amy Banington and Karl Pearson, F.R.S., with the assistance of Dr. David Heron . Eugenics Laboratory Memoirs, XIV. Pp. 55. (London: Dulau and Co., Ltd., 1910). Price 4s.
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S., E. Alcohol and Eugenics 1 . Nature 85, 479–480 (1911). https://doi.org/10.1038/085479a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/085479a0