The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-04-06
DEGENERATION OF NEGROES.
Medical Opinion a. To- the Failing on Of
the BLACK Race.


Medical Opinion a. To the Failing on Of
the BLACK Race.
From the Medical Record. The race
problem In the south seems destined
to be settled according TO natural laws.
unless something Is done. and done
soon. to save the negro from the re-
suits OF bis own vices and neglect Of
elementary hygienic laws. The testl-
mony Of those who have studied this
subject Is all but unanimous and Il has
received additional confirmation
through the investigation Of Or. Il. II.
johnson. Of brunswick. Ga. himself
colorcd physician. The sgures he has
gathered from study % the vital sta
tistics OF nearly SEQ towns In the south
ern states show that the death rate %
negroes Is double that Of whites In the
tamc communities. and not only this.
but the birth rate Is also smaller among
the colored than among the white pop
nlaiion. Furthermore the day Of the
s'slwart negro Is passing.is not already
gone. aud the members Of the younger
generation Of the race make good
chewing as regards their size and phys.
teal constitution when compared with
their grandfathers and grandmother
DR.. Johnson attributes this degeneracy
OF his race-rightly. We believe, 10 the
carelessness, want ~ torethouRht and
dissipation 20 unfortunately character.
istic Of large portion OF the colored
population In the south since the civil
war. In antebellum days" says Or.
johnson, the negro seemed 10 be an
Immune 10 consumption. and many
great medical writers and teachers
boas, OF never having seen such among
tho negroes Enforced temperate liy-
Ing and sanitary precautions made the
black man physical giant. but the
giants are disappearing and In their
places Is coming a race Of smaller sta
ture and decreased vitality" That this
Is the true reason OF the colored mans
physical deterioration Is further shown
by what Surgeon General sternberg
has 10 say In hls recently issued an.
nual report concerning the health Of
the col0red soldiers. Great improve.
ment." he says has taken place In
the past few years in the sanitary con
dillon Of the colored troops The white
troops have participated IN the i'm.
provemont. although their rates have
not fallen 80 rapidly as those of the
colored men. The cOlored soldier lost
si2 days from disability during the
year. the white soldier 1911. and the
average time Of treatment Of each case
was. among the colored troops. 1854
days. among the white. ii22 DAYS.
These figures contain much 10 encour.
age those who have the future Of the
colored brothers al heart. and who
have looked with sorrow uron their
downward progress since the dav NJ
their emancipation The figures show.
Indeed, that the race Is capable Of re-
generation since even now Us members
living under the sanitary and moral
restraint of army discipline are found
90 be- superior 10 their white comrades
living under the same conditions. The
proof exists that the colored race
may yet be- brought back 10 its former
high sanitary condition. but the prob.
lem remains how % lift IL up from the
abyss Of misery and how Ia avert lts
Threatened extinction. Here Is a task
for colored members Of our profession.
which they can accomplish Tar better
than their white confreres. and which
calls for their best thought and sell.
sacrificing devotion.