Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 50.djvu/824

802 largest weighing 260. The last one of Tipsy's whelps was born dead; all of Topsy's were born live.

Both Demme for man, by comparing normal with alcoholic families among the Swiss, and Mairet and Combemale in experimentsupon dogs, have attempted to prove that deformity, degeneration, involving especially the brain, and a number of abnormities of a nervous character may be caused by chronic alcoholism of the parents. We have also Morel's account, so often quoted, of degeneration in an alcoholic family to idiocy and extinction in the fourth generation.

With these things in mind, it is of interest to note that two of Tipsy's puppies were hare-lipped on both sides, a serious deformity of the face. All of Topsy's puppies were normally developed. This might be interpreted as confirmation of the above authors. However, practically all the value of such complicated experiments depends on repetition and upon adequate controls. The smallest puppy of Topsy II presented the same abnormity in exaggerated degree.

From the first litters each mother has thus to her credit four healthy living puppies, and Tipsy's are in no wise inferior. In Tipsy's second litter, February 1, 1897, three were deformed, two were born dead, and the remaining two proved to be nonviable. This may indicate a progressive deterioration, but any interpretation of it had better be delayed until more evidence is obtained. It is sufficient to indicate that results are likely to increase in definiteness as the experiment proceeds.

At the suggestion of Dr. Billings, a confirmatory experiment was undertaken in which, instead of chemically pure alcohol, the ordinary beverages—whisky, wine, and beer—were administered. The experiment was begun with three female puppies from the same litter, half sisters to Tipsy and Topsy, obtained from Mr. Browning. These were named Frisky (whisky), Winnie (wine), and Berry (beer). It was first attempted to get them to take their respective drinks as beverages, to develop in them a liking