These degenerating effects of alcohol on the ductless glands will explain why premature old age is so often found in alcoholics, especially when brandy and liqueurs are taken; but still worse consequences than this also arise, viz.: the diminution of the powers of resistance to infection or intoxication, in consequence of the lack of those important protective elements which, as we see in Chapter III, are derived from the ductless glands, a fact which various epidemics amply prove. My friend, Dr. MacMeans, told me during a stay in Monterey, Mexico, that in an epidemic of yellow fever, he observed that alcoholics were among the first to contract it. We know the great frequency of tuberculosis in alcoholics, and the great mortality in such persons from pneumonia. They are unable to withstand the high fever and cannot combat the infection, and the heart soon fails; and also, as a general rule, in all cases of infectious diseases their chances are much worse than are those of other people. We note in Chapter VI that heredity depends on the condition of the ductless glands of the parents. This is also the case with alcoholics, and it is a fact that the descendants of such are heavily handicapped; and, as also mentioned in Chapter VI, congenital myxœdema and scrofulosis is prevalent among them, and their chances for a long youth discounted. Nervous diseases are also of constant occurrence among these, such as idiocy, epilepsy, etc., very interesting data as to which are given by Legrain. A certain alcoholic was eight times in the insane asylum for delirium tremens. He had nine children; three died at birth from general debility, one died of convulsions within the first year, and the other five suffered from trembling in the extremities. The father of this person was also a drunkard, who hanged himself; the mother, a brother, and a sister were also dipsomaniacs. Martin found in 60 out of 83 female epileptics, alcoholism in the parents. Demme examined 57 children among such, and found only 10 who were normal, physically and mentally. A terrible genealogy is that traced by Dr. Klausner concerning a woman named Ada Take, born in 1740, who was a dipsomaniac. She had 709 descendants, among whom were 100 illegitimate children, 181 prostitutes, 142 beggars, 46 workhouse inmates, 76 criminals, and the remainder were more or less habitual drunkards. This one family cost the country or prison authorities for their support over three million florins ($1,200,000).