The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-07-08
A NEW QUESTION.
8 hould Idiots be Allowed to Live,
or be Killed to Improve the
Species I?
Baltimore Herald.

- d
State Medical society, on Tuesday last,
DIR. Lehman read paper ON the ad-
visibility, propriety or wisdom of
killing idiots. natural monstrosities,
or persons suffering intense misery
from disease. DR.. LeffmaH stated
that he advanced his views on the
subject, not because he was irrevocably
committed to them, nor wished to con-
!. vert his fellow physicians to them, but
& becau.e he desired TO excite debate on
the subject. Unfortunately, other
business interfered, and the debate
was not extended Nevertheless, it
was shown that there was an inclina-
ton on the part of many to agree
with DIR. Lehman tn within reason
able bounds it would be wise and
justifiable to remove from life the
classes of persons mentioned.
That this proposition should be laid
down at all shows that scientific men
are. year by year. becoming more
bold and fearless that it should be
seriously entertained shows that the
disposition to frown down upon inno-
vations is passing away; that the bare
mention of such proposition does not
excite horror and Indignation shows
that the masses of the people have
learned that the wisest plan is to
suspend judgment until such questions
are fully discussed.
Viewed from an unprecedented
standpoint-that is, considering man
in the abstract, without regard to the
affections of blood-it must be ad-
mitted that DR. Lefman's proposition,
so far as it applies to idiots and mon
strosities, is worthy of serious consid-
GRAFTON. We do not consider that the
proposition to remove persons suffer-
ing from incurable diseases ought to
he entertained for an instant.
The characteristics which distin-
guish man from brute are language, a
desire to acquire knowledge, a sense
0f Individuality or personality, an alb
stract conception of the existence of a
Supreme Being, and hope or desire
for continued future existence. The
absence of any Of these Characters
tics brings men nearer the brute the
absence of all of them would trans
form him into brute.
An idiot-and we use the word In
its most strict sense-possesses none of
these characteristics, except occasion
ally that of language in a majority
of cases they have only voice, the
power to utter sounds, but not to
form them into words. The mental
qualities Of man, and not his physical
! formation. can constitute his claim to
superiority over brutes, and in that
view of the matter what claim has an
idiot to be considered human being?
It is impossible to believe that he was
created to serve any end, and if he
was be fails to do it. His life is a
mere animal existence. He is more
incapable of taking care of him.
self than the brutes, for the in
stinct which is given to them is de-
MED to him, and he lacks even
degree of intelligence which is inn
planted in the breast of man. The
/ idiot is not on y useless to society,
but he is dangerous. Having no con-
ception of the difference betwee
right and wrong, he is likely to COM
NIT murder, arson or any other crime.
/ Under certain circumstances he might
propagate his species. Viewed from
religious standpoint, the idiot can
serve no useful end, for neither by in
sstinct nor education does he recog-
nize the existence of a Supreme Being
and he has no hope nor desire for a
future existence. Viewed from a
worldly standpoint, his life is of no
object, for he does not possess the in
telligence necessary to make him a
desirable citizen, and there is no hope
that his condition will ever change.
Viewed from an economic standpoint
the idiot is charge upon his friends
or the community. Viewed through
the spectacles of the scientists, the
idiot, lacking in every thing that dis
tinguishes man from brute, occupies
space and consumes food in a world
that is now not too large for the people
on it who are desirable inhabitants.
All the observations on idiots apply
with equal force to mOnstrosities.
1t is plain, therefore, that it is de-
sirable to remove those unfortunates
from world in which they are so un-
fitted to live. Whether it should rest
with any man or any set of men to
decide upon their fate we will not at
tempt to say, but those who admit
the justiceef capital punishment will
find it hard to urge valid argument
against the right to remove idiots and