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 and diseases existing with infants and children. For, if mental qualities are inherited, still more manifestly are bodily ones. The diseases under which children suffer, may be divided into two classes, namely, special or peculiar diseases, and general or common diseases. The former are sometimes such as are referable to the hereditary law, and sometimes not. There are, for instance, certain forms of disease existing in particular families, and which are plainly to be traced to parents or grandparents, as consumptive tendencies, scrofula, and many more. But there are others that are consequent upon want of care on the part of parents in reference to their children, as subjecting them to exposures and consequent colds, permitting undue indulgence of appetite, and the like: also, such as come from the direct ill-conduct and evils of parents,—as in the case above referred to, of the mother's milk becoming vitiated through anger and rage. It may be said, in regard to such cases, that it is very hard that the poor infant should suffer for its parent's wrong-doing. But how can such an effect possibly be prevented? It results from the abuse or perverted operation of a good and blessed law of Divine Providence, ordained for man's happiness,—namely, the law of social and family relationship and connection. It was ordained, as before shown, that the hereditary principle should exist, and that men should be brought up, not isolated beings, but in families. This was so ordered, that human happiness might be indefinitely increased by the influence of social and family ties, the affections and good feelings in the heart of each individual not being confined to himself, but being poured out on those immediately about him first, and thence farther