The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-04-01
AN EXPERT VIEW.
The Medical News, of New York,
on the Race Issue.
THE NEGRO VIEWED MEDICALLY
The News Says Unless All the
Facts Are Weighed, the
South May be Done
Great Injustice.
Great Injustice.

Great Injustice.
The Medical News, widely known
journal published i'm New York city,
is aroused by the recent discussion
of the race issue to comment upon
Negro Supremacy from a Medical
Standpoint" In an editorial upon
that subject in its issue of February
2S the Medical News states that i'm
leading papers Of the North and
South have appeared editorials of
great acumen and power, but none
seen as yet TO have dealt, except in Il
superficial manner, with the race
problem as seen from biological,
chronological or medical standpoint :"
The News continues:
One cannot intelligcntly answer
the question whether the negro can
take place in the social and econo-
mic progress of the nation without
being in possession of the main NOR
biological differences between the
Caucasian and the African, since
these are the fundamental bases for
mental and moral discrepancies be-
tween the races.
That the negro more nearly ap-
proaches in body to the quadrumaua
or anthropoId apes is shown by the
following points: The arm is abnor-
mally long-in the erect position it
often reaches the knee pans, and on
an averge exceeds that OF the Cauca-
sian by about two inches. The facial
angle, which is granted by all to have
a definite chronological bearing, even
ii the function of the frontal lObeS is
still but little known, average 50 de-
greeS in the Caucasian and 20 degrees
in the black. Coincidentally with
this is the fact that in brain weight
the white man exceeds the negro by
fully 10 ounces almost as much as
| he i'll turn exceeds the highest gorilla.
Another point OF difference anatomi-
cally is seen in the lower extremity
this is not SO well developed as the
white mans, the foot is broad and
fiat, the great toe prehensile and
divergent, the heel often projecting
SO far backward as TO merit the term
lark hecl.''
1t is needless TO dwell longer on
the well known difference which ex-
lists, or to urge that they demonstrate
Il distinct race Of mankind and show
conclusivcly i'm the negro an inferior
type. Among the fair-minded this
is automatic.
Some years ago we were all alarmed
over the yellow peril" Now the
black peril" confronts us.
The article quotes the late Prof
Ogden :. Rood, OF Columbia, as ask
ing: How can there be any queS-
tion OF superiority or inferiority be-
tween two peoples who develop men
tally are separated by a chaSm OF
10000 years." Eugene Il. Corson, in
his contribution TO the Wilder Quar-
ter Century Book, states that as re-
suit OF most careful study of the
census, and dependent upon personal
observation in the city OF Savannah,
he is confident that tuberculosis and
alcoholism are madin Stultifying in
roads on the making negro, poor,
weakened product, that he is, of mis-
cegenatiOn.
Sir Spencer st. John says of the in
habitantS of Hayti: After resi-
dence Of over twenty years in this
island / am forced to the conclusion
that the negro is incapable of hold
ing an independent position. Hayti
shows no sign of improvcment-on the
other hand, it is constantly retrograd-
! ing, and without external influence
the inhabitants will soon fall into the
stage OF the dwellerS OF the Congo. =
| The Medical News thus continues its
comments:
! If IL is true, as some have perhaps
well said, that the time is ripe for a
recognition OF the negro, in substance
rather than In theory, earnest thought
should be given by those who would
! literally interpret our laws, and they
should he well verSed in the opinions
Of such men OF science AS we have
/ quoted. They must know and recug-
niZe that profound differences do exist
that one race is 20, 900 years behind
the other They must know that
ethnologically, phySiOlogically, anato.
mically, the negro and Caucasian
must always be widely different If
the negro is advancing, which, thanks
to the noble efforts made at TuskeSee
and similar institutions, he surely is,
what, meantime, is the Caucasian do
ing? Advancing? Yes, with his
plant brain case, capable Of permit
ting progressive development from
birth to death, he is laundering ahead
with a rush and speed which nc
alien race can hope To follow.
Unless these facts are weighed in a
true balance bitter injustice may be
done the South. 1t is no doubt true
as Carson assumes that the irrevoc-
able law OF the survival Of the tit.
test will wipe the negro away, but
this will take centuries. There il Z
real and immediate peril, as the Scna
tor from North Carolina has well said
Science, education, religion, philan
thropy may well focus their bright
rays upon it, and unless our leader.
follow where these trend the South
will surely suffer.