Insanity: Its Causes and Prevention

by Henry Putnam Stearns

In short, imperfection and abnormality of nerve function in its relation to mind, especially of intellect and character, of all shades and degrees, may be inherited as well as acquired; and this is equally true when the condition has not attained to that of actual disease, but simply a tendency toward it. And if such tendency should exist on both sides of the house, it becomes increased in the offspring in geometrical ratio, except in so far as it may become modified through the influence of counteracting qualities of character under the law of atavism.

The question now arises: By what measures, or through what influences, if any, can such proneness to nervous diatheses be avoided? It may be replied, that there are two channels through which partial relief may come; but that any substantial results may follow, it will become necessary that education concerning the laws of heredity shall become more general, and the importance of right conduct in relation to them impressed especially on the minds of young persons.

First.—Through the influence of that law of heredity by means of which there may occur an elimination of weaknesses and proclivities toward disease. This influence comes from the healthy side of parentage; for instance, in the case of parents, one of whom has physical or psychological tendencies toward disease, if the other has a healthy and vigorous constitution, and is endowed with mental qualities of an opposite character, these forces of the system may prove to be quite sufficient to affect or neutralize those which, on the other side of the house, lead toward disease, and the offspring may have an inheritance nearly, or quite, free from such influence.

This is not unfrequently witnessed in the case even of the strongest hereditary diseases, namely those of phthisis and insanity. The offspring of mothers with proclivities toward either of these diseases, in case the father is strong, may escape entirely or nearly so; this is very often true when the well parent has an unusual power of transmitting race-characteristics, and belongs to a family which has been noted for longevity during two or three generations.

In this hereditary influence there lies a power of incalculable value to the human race, a power conducing toward the elimination of morbid diatheses, which otherwise would go on increasing in almost geometrical ratio, until families, or even whole communities, would become diseased.

The tendencies toward health, under favorable circumstances, are greater than toward disease, and, therefore, there exists a probability that race-characteristics on the healthy side may prevail over those on the unhealthy side of the house, though this may not always be found to be true in actual experience.

Through this line of influence, and this only, can there exist any probability of diminishing the increase of inherited insanity. Governments and society encourage, and rightly so, the institution of the marriage relation; the family is the corner-stone of society, and on it are reared the fabrics of civilization and civil institutions. Probably from no other practice or custom does there ensue so large effects in the way of happiness, prosperity, morality, and well-being to the human race, as from that of marriage; but the conditions of a large part of the beneficent results of this institution, depend upon freedom from certain tendencies to disease. Communities and states are composed of units, and their strength and stability must depend upon that of the individuals composing them. Quite in the degree that disease or degenerations, physical or mental, exist in any community, in that measure prosperity and happiness are diminished; so that from the stand-point of political economy, even, it becomes of vast importance that the laws of hereditary influence should be more fully understood.

The instinct of love, however, is so powerful in the vast majority of the human race, that it overrides almost all other considerations. Persons do not stop to consider consequences to themselves, or to those who are to come after; they are borne on by the considerations of a present fancy or sentiment, and there is reason to fear that any legal enactments, or regulations, even, in the present state of knowledge on this subject, would not be worth the paper on which they might be inscribed.

Probably the only thing which can be done is to instruct the public, and make known, so far as possible, the influences of hereditary tendencies, publishing them in the higher text-books of schools, and in periodicals. It might be more clearly understood in reference to marriage, that a sentimental fancy or a choice founded on the existence of like characteristics, either mental or physical, not only often proves to be of little real value in after-life toward securing happiness, but on the other hand proves, too often, to be the source of vast misery to parents, their children, and the community in which they may live; that the highest consideration for the present and future should lead to careful examination as to inherited characteristics on both sides, and of a selection which may tend toward elimination, rather than an increase, of these. It might be more fully understood that, generally, characteristics of body and mind of different qualities, within certain degrees of limit, contribute toward securing a well-balanced and healthy system, and also toward a larger degree of happiness in domestic relations; that acquired diatheses, as well as those inherited, are transmitted to those who come after; that violations of the laws of healthy brain activity are almost sure to be punished in the persons of children, whether they have consisted in immoderate devotion to business or study, or in any of the physical indulgences. In this way some advance may be hoped for, in guiding toward that course in which lies the least danger.

The old adage, however, that “the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” was a truth well understood some thousands of years ago,—and yet the fathers go on indulging in sour grapes, because the great truth fails to have taught its lesson, and the heedlessness of youth requires line upon line, and precept upon precept, as well as, ofttimes, the sternest of discipline. The future will doubtless be, in a large degree, as in the past, but we may hope that when the laws of inheritance are more commonly known, when the learning of them becomes a part of the general education of the young, their influence will be more beneficent than at the present time.