The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-11
initely with the full sanction and
approval of society.
l.. L.. f,,lx &c 1,

initely with the full sanction and
approval of society.
by this careful cultivation of all that
is bad in humanity we have built up q
great army of crippies and monsters
weaklings, of the magnitude Of which
the ordinary citizen has no idea TC
begin with we have in England and
Wales about 100000 lunatics. These
are increasing ut tue rate of close upon
1000 annually, and cost the country
over five million pounds year to sup.
port. The increase is so great that in
London alone All asylum costing about
half a million is required every five
years. Then we have about 40, 900 ep-
ileptics, 25, 600 blind, 1000 deaf-m utes
10000 idiots, aud many thousands or
others, SO crippled and deformed as to
be more or less dependent upon others
for their existence.
How many suffer from other hered-
itarly-transmitted diseased conditi lis
it is not possible TO estimate with any
thing approaching to accuracy: but
some idea may be gathered from the
fact that about 10000 deaths are an
nually due to cancer, %, 1000 to convul-
sions, over 1000 due to congenital NAL
formations, like number to suicide,
$4,000 to phthisis, and 10000 to other
tubercuar diseases; while gout, chOrea
rheumatism, and other eminently
hereditary diseases are responsible for
thousands more.
The amount of human suffering
represented by these figures is almost
inconceivable, yet when we ponder
that at the very lowest estimate more
than the half Of it is distinctly avoid
able, we get some vague idea of the
crime committed against humanity.
And for this outrage there can be no
excuse. How easily and eftectually
disease, deformity and other imper-
fections can be eliminated by the eXer-
else of common sense in breeding Is
universally known aud is constantly
acted upon i'm the propagation of
domestic animals of all kinds, alike by
the educated and the uneducated yet
hot one person in ten thousand per-
mits such knowledge 70 guide him
when it is a question Of children. The
titled stock-breeder is not more par
ticular Us to the health and pedigree of
his horses and cattle than is the
costermonger as to the strain
in his "daWg." Nor is the coster any
more careless or selfish when the
creation of children is at issue than his
titled contemporary.
1t is evident from the foregoing
hasty sketch that some restriction on
the right of procreation of the human
species is urgently needed. A Law
denying the right to those obviously
untitled for the duty, would confer
such an unmitigated blessing upon
humanity as no other human law ever
has done. And the burning neces-
sity for legislation on the subject ap-
peals alike to the sociologst and the
humanitarian.
And now, having seen how we
might very materially lessen the
cretion of human suffering, the furth-
ar question presents itself:-HOw can
we best reduce the suffer of those al
ready called into being? This is not
question which will disappear when
the course advocated above has been
adopted ; for however careful we may
be in the propagation of the race, we
shall always have considerable suffer.
ing in the world. Even with the best
stock the unhealthy occupations, the
vicious habits and the altogether art
fetal mode of life allowed by civilized
man and woman, together with the
evils of proverty and wealth are
enough to create disease in every rank
of society. For this reason the ques-