ID# 52:
Questions for a study of heredity in twins
Date:
Circa 1930
Pages: 1 of 1
Source:
American Philosophical Society, ERO, MSC77

Questions for a study of heredity in twins

Questions on Heredity John H Chase 612 St Clair Ave Cleveland Ohio No one knows what qualities are inherited, and what are acquired after birth. If we could know exactly, it would be a great advance for science, and a great help in education. It has recently been discovered that duplicate or similar twins occur because the original germ cell is accidentally divided, therefore, duplicate twins arise from the same cell. As a result, their inheritance should be the same, and qualities in which they differ must have arisen after birth. If then, the twins of the United States are willing to answer certain questions, they may be able to solve one of the greatest problems of science: - namely, what part of our nature is due to heredity, and what part is due to training. Would you therefore, be willing to answer the following questions which will be confidential: I. PHYSICAL. (a) Are you and your twin "duplicate twins": namely, during youth, did you look very much alike? Yes. (b) How much do you and your twin differ in height? None (c) Strength. Could you always lift about equal weights, or has one always been stronger than the other? About the same (d) Health. Has one always been more sickly than the other? Have you had the same illnesses? Both in good health (e) Look at the palm of your hand; half way between the end of your finger and the first knuckle, the tiny ridges in your skin twist round into a pattern. Have you and your twin the same pattern for corresponding fingers?

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