The “Albino town”
Well, not really. But here’s a feature about a small town in northeastern Argentina which has had several centuries of self-imposed endogamy, resulting in a sharp increase in the incidence of albinism. This sort of thing isn’t always a function of conscious custom or tradition, in Consanguinity, Inbreeding, and Genetic Drift in Italy L.L. Cavalli-Sforza documents the rapid drop in inbreeding with the penetration of modern transport into the mountains of Italy. Cavalli-Sforza notes that throughout much of 19th century Europe there were two opposing dynamics; on the one hand the decline in the power of the Catholic Church resulted in an increased frequency of consanguineous marriages (this happened in Protestant countries after the Reformation), but simultaneously more efficient transport increased gene flow across demes and many more people left their villages.
Labels: Genetics
If they’re after the quiet life, I recommend a move to Manchester, or Middlesbrough, where they’d be unremarkable.
Friend of mine from Manc. couldn’t stir outside during daylight in summer without a wide-brimmed straw hat tied on with a scarf, and Raybans.
At 56? N.
And I’d go pink in moonlight, if I didn’t watch out. Most vexing.
As to Cavalli-Sforza’s observation on the relaxation on the Prohibited Degrees by the northern barbarians, in defiance of Mother Church, I tend to the opinion that it was the necessity to conceal such arrangements, on pain of fines or worse, that fell into abeyance, rather than any increase in akcherly doin’ it with yer cuzin.
I tend to the opinion that it was the necessity to conceal such arrangements, on pain of fines or worse, that fell into abeyance, rather than any increase in akcherly doin’ it with yer cuzin.
this is plausible. lots of marriages were common law too.
I’ve seen a few albino Arabs over the years. No doubt inbreeding.