The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1903-05-30
AID TO RACE SUICIDE.
DR.. Curtin Shows How Decreas-
ing Bir IA Rate Is Influenced.
FEES OF PHYSICIANS TOO HIGH

Charges In Motherhood Cases Have
Advanced From go and e25 Up
70 e2S and e25O, Says Philadelphia
Deeter-Predicts Balance Of Politi-
cal Fewer Will In Thirty Years Ne
HelA ~ Children Of Foreigners.
''Is the Decreasing Birth Rate In
nuenced by the Modern Physician
the subject Of paper read by DR.. r.
G. Curtin Of Philadelphia before the
recent congress OF American physi-
clans and surgeons in Washington, has
engaged the attention of prominent
practitioners and men interested in the
question Of race suicide" to the pos
ability that physicians may not alto
gether be without responsibility for
the condition that exists. says Phil
hdelphia special dispatch to the New
York Herald.
The reading OF the paper at the con-
gress was listened to with undivided
attention by the men of medicine and
surgery. 1t was admitted that DIR.
Curtin had taken up new line in the
discussion Of the problem and that he
had presented certain deductions that
invited the serious thought Of every
physician In the country.
In presenting the question Of race
suicide" DIR. Curtin called attention to
the fact that it has been repeatedly
brought to public attention and partic-
ularly by President Roosevelt in re-
cent utterances. The Importance OF
preserving the human species, he in
dicated, was shown by looking over
the older states of the country. where
Il n found that the greatest loss Is
among the old. influential families.
"The greatest number Of children
be said. comes from the unassimilat-
ed foreign population. Therefore 1t
occurs to me that in thirty years the
balance Of political power will be in
the hands OF these children and not
in the hands or the strain that has
brought our country to its present po-
sition among nations"
In appealing to the patriotism of the
native born inhabitants Of the country
Dr. Curtin takes the position that In
families where there is an only child
such child IL apt to be petted, spoil
ed. pevish. without self denial or
straightforward manhood. He indi-
Gates that such citizens will not be
able to copc with the foreigners.
'sThe decline Of the birth rate," he
said, - Z subject that should be tax
en- up and q warning sounded. Ac-
cording to the statistics gathered by
college presidents, 1t appears that edu-
Gated persons have very few children.
Three years ago there met In subur-
ban hotel near Philadelphia seventeen
couples that had been married, on nm
average. four years. There was not q
stngle child In the whole party. but
several dogs were prominent"
Discussing the physician's position In
the matter. he indicated that he has
responsibility.
ITO begin with, be can do great
deal Of harm." he said. THE doctors
advice y generally very potent with
loyal patients. therefore lct It be OF
high moral charactcr. ! have never
heard any one who has given explana-
tion Of the question OF race suicide
epeak q the part that the doctor takes
- this great tragedy.
ny high prices he may increase the
family expense to such an extent AZ to
plunge the young husband into debt"
n afated that In Gases Of mother