The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-03
Future Of the Negro.

TN A PAPER recently read before
the Georgia Sociological society.
Il. Dr. NJ. l.. Perry. pathologist to
the state sanitarium. at Mlledge
vile, Ga, presented some interesting
and even startling data in relation to
the social life of the southern negro.
The recent census reported the negro
population of the United States at s.
$40, 7S9. uf which over 80 per cent. are
resident in the South. The fact that
tenth part of our population is Of
negro origin invests with Importance
the relation Of the negro to disease.
DR.. Perry reports among Southern
negroes an alarming prevalence of VEN
ereal diseases, constituting Il menace
not only to themselves but also threat
ening with infection their white asso-
ciates. Another disease which Is fast
ravaging the blacks is tuberculosis. In
slavery days this was almost unknown.
Today it is frghtfully common, and
the death rate shows its effect. From
the report of the Georgia sanitarium for
the year ended Sept. ], 1900. it appears
that the death rate. based upon the
total number under treatment, was 5.S
per cent. in the white department and
l1.5 per cent. in the cOlored department..
From the last report, being for the
year ending Sept. |. 1901, Il death rate
among the whites of G.7 per cent. APP
pears, while in the negro department
it reached III per cent. During pres
ent year the ratio has been even great
er and this, despite the fact that their
care and treatment is the same. DR..
Perry is inclined to attribute much of
this inferior vitality among negroes to
the weakening influences of venereal
diseases and tuberculosis.
But his paper gives other surprising
statistics. According to the census OF
1860, there We're in Georgia forty-four
insane negroes. The negro population
at that time was 4G5.G9S. The ration of
insane to the total population was thus
| to 1854. In 1870 there We're 129 in
sane negroes out OF Il total coured
population of 545142. or l to 4,225. In
1880 the census shows that there We're
All colOred insane out of a total of
725, 1873, Or / to 1,764. In 1890, according
to the census, there We're in Georgia
$50 insane negroes out of a population
OF S5SSl5, or l to ! 1,533. The census Of
1900 gives the negro populat lion Of
Georgia as l,O34Sl3. The bulletin CIV
ing the insane population had not been
issued when DR.. Perry spoke, but there
We're in the state stlnitarium on Sept
l, 1900 799 colored patients, and from
the number of applications for admis-
sion at that time he estimates that
there were, at least, 100 more insane in
the state. Reckoning on this basis of
800, we find the ratio of insane to the
total colored population in 1900 to be 1
to 1,l4s. Thus in forty years the total
neglo population in Georgia has been
a little more than doubled, while the
number of insane has increased twenty
fold. No other such rapid and radical
change in the mental stability Of a race
is recorded in history. DR.. Perry con-
tinues:
This outburst of insanity becomes still
more remarkable when We consider that
for genera tions prior to 1860 the coorcd
people had been free from mental dis
case. 1t has developed, therefore, with
out the slightest hereditary faint. What
their condition will be al the end of the
next forty years can only he coniecured,
but considering the fact that the rising
generation will have to contend with Il
marked hereditary predispositon from
which their ia theirs We're free. the out
look in this direction Is certainly not en-
couraging. Even now the brain OF the
negro does not appear to he able to s,is-
tain IA mental strain us We'll as that of Il
white man. This is shown by the fact
well recognized in asylum practice that
the colored insane tend to pass through
the primary insanities and hccome de-
mented more quickly than do the whites.
word or Two upon the comparative
brain capacity of the two races may be
of interest here, | know of no statistics
giving comparative brain weights in the
sane, but | have taken for comparison
the brains of loo patients of each race
dying insane. The following table gives
the average brain weight In these cases
together with the average normal weight:
Average weight of normal brain in hu,
man male. l,io3 GINS; female. l,.57 GINS
Average brain weight in loo white pa-
tients dying insane male. l.iG GINS: fe.
male, 1,lSI GINS. Average weight i'm 100
colored patients dying insane, male. |, 80
sms; female, lO92 GINS. The average
weight of the brain of the negro Is thus
seen to fall below that of the white man
by something more than i0O GINS, or
about 3ia ~, II is true that the degree
OF intelligence is indicated more by the
development than by the weight of the
brain. but, other things being equal the
average brain weight of "A race may be
taken as an index of its mental capacity
If these figures and deductions are
correct, there would seem to be re-
newed call upon American philanthropy
for freedmen's aid. Unless II is desired
to solve the negro problem very much
as the Indian problem Is rapidly being
solyed-namely, by neglect leading to
gradual extinction, steps will have soon
to be taken to educate the negro in
sanitation and to put him to congenlal
work Letting him die out in a sud
den freedom for which II appears that