Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Part I - Professor Herman Lundborg, Uppsala, The History of a Swedish Farmer’s Lineage as seen from a Race-biological Stand-point
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became drunkards. Then degeneration appeared, and increased in an alarming
degree, on account of the numerous marriages which occurred between relations.
Now, a hundred years afterwards, the family is, as a whole, in such a miserable
state that, in many cases, there are signs of a veritable collapse. Alcoholism
and consanguinity still appear, but nothing like so often as before. There is still
great fecundity in the families. As a matter of fact, it is often the case that the
parents have 8 to 10 children. Fathers and mothers are not at all pleased at this,
but wish to have smaller families.
Preventative methods have not been resorted to, to any great extent, but
they have adopted the alternative of extending the suckling period as much as
possible, usually 2 years, in the belief that a fresh conception cannot then take
place. Experience shows, however that such an extended suckling period does
not prevent a new conception.
Several of these women must therefore nourish, not only a child more than
one year old, but also an embryo. When 8 or 10 such periods have occurred
in a woman’s lifetime, we can easily imagine what a miserable condition she is
in, though still under 40 years of age. To fortify themselves, they resort to
stimulating mediums, such as alcohol, but, chiefly coffee in large quantities.
The extended suckling periods, the frequent confinements, the great consumption
of coffee, have without doubt increased the miserable condition of these women.
Yet it is to be noted, that several of the mothers, on account of degenera*
tion, have lost the capability of suckling the child, which is also a signi*
ficant fact.
I also wish to mention that in my opinion, deterioration of the family has
been caused by the emigration to America’ and Australia, which has taken place
to a rather large extent, from that part of the country, during the last decennaries.
In all probability it was the most robust persons who emigrated. The less
healthy who remained behind, generally married relatives as unhealthy as themselves,
and thus one cannot be surprised at the result. In addition to emigration, they remo*
ved, of course, to other parishes. It is possible, that they, who have been fortunate
enough to escape the general collapse of the stock, may be the progenitors of
new families, who under favourable conditions would be regenerated.
One and the same family can thus be good material for the study of both
degeneration and regeneration.
On the other hand, there are naturally whole families who are on the upward
grade. A thorough study of such families may be as interesting, or even more
so, than an investigation of those which degenerate. As above mentioned the
male ancester lived from 1721 to 1804. In his time the family was rich and
respected. They have now lost the greater part of their former opulence.
There are now distinct signs here and there, that the family is partially
degenerated.
Marriages between relations occurred more frequently formerly, than now.
In the family in question, one meets, to a rather great extent, dark types,
with a foreign appearance. Many years ago a blending of race occurred between
dark foreigners and fair Scandinavians, The dark types belong to certain family
branches are known as »the blacks». My anthropological investigations show
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