Anomalies and Curiosities of MedicineGould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Science
Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine
Gould, George M. (George Milbrey)
Abnormalities, Human; Medicine -- Anecdotes
"Lord Polwarth, whose very fine breed of Border Leicesters is famed
throughout Britain, and whose knowledge on the subject of breeding is
great, says that 'In sheep we always consider that if a ewe breeds to a
Shrop ram, she is never safe to breed pure Leicesters from, as dun or
colored legs are apt to come even when the sire is a pure Leicester.
This has been proved in various instances, but is not invariable.'"
Hon. Henry Scott says: "Dog-breeders know this theory well; and if a
pure-bred bitch happens to breed to a dog of another breed, she is of
little use for breeding pure-bred puppies afterward. Animals which
produce large litters and go a short time pregnant show this throwing
back to previous sires far more distinctly than others--I fancy dogs
and pigs most of all, and probably horses least. The influence of
previous sires may be carried into the second generation or further, as
I have a cat now which appears to be half Persian (long hair). His dam
has very long hair and every appearance of being a half Persian,
whereas neither have really any Persian blood, as far as I know, but
the grand-dam (a very smooth-haired cat) had several litters by a
half-Persian tom-cat, and all her produce since have showed the
influence retained. The Persian tom-cat died many years ago, and was
the only one in the district, so, although I cannot be absolutely
positive, still I think this case is really as stated."
Breeders of Bedlington terriers wish to breed dogs with as powerful
jaws as possible. In order to accomplish this they put the Bedlington
terrier bitch first to a bull-terrier dog, and get a mongrel litter
which they destroy. They now put the bitch to a Bedlington terrier dog
and get a litter of puppies which are practically pure, but have much
stronger jaws than they would otherwise have had, and also show much of
the gameness of the bull-terrier, thus proving that physiologic as well
as anatomic characters may be transmitted in this way.
After citing the foregoing examples, Blaikie directs his attention to
man, and makes the following interesting remarks:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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