The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-04-15
Elver Complies Statistics.

Over 100 statistical tables, proving this
contention, have been prepared. The re-
port will show that there are 54S cases of
blindness; 1904 of insanity; 507 of cpl
lopsy and 1872 of feeble mindedness UNI
der the care of the state in various insti-
buttons. When the report is completed
the predominating features will be the
declaration that the evil effects of mar
riages in which one or both of the par
ties is unfit for marriage could be offset
by the passage of a sterilization act,
such as the one now in force in Indiana,
and which has recently passed in Ne
braska and is pending before the Him
ois Legislature. Former Assemblyman
Gilmore Y. Elver, author of the steriliza-
ton bill which failed of passage two
years ago has conducted the inyestiga-
ton for the board.
Heredity Cause of AZ Per Cent.
or the 5954 cases of insanity cited
1895 are males; of which 25lO are single
and $50 are or were married. There
are 1893 insane females in the state 1853
of whom are married and l44O are sim
gle. BY far the larger number of these
are natives" the highest ratio of insan-
ity for foreigners being among the Films
and Scandinayians. The figures com
piled disclose that 42.21 per cent. are di-
rectly traceable as hereditary cases.
Aside from heredity the important
causes of insanity are worry, grief, and
the excessive use of alcohol.
OF the total number of cases of in
sanity, the use of alcohol is given as the
direct cause of GIG cases, Il ratio of
1854 per cent OF the users of alcohol,
764 were males; of which 400 were sin
gle, 232 married, 80 widowed, % di-
vorced and unknown. OF the females
8 were single, 80 married and widowed.
1t is interesting to note that large num-
Der of the worry and grief cases
among the women were caused by worry
over divorce.
Classified according to ages, 1856 are
between the ages of 30 and 80 1897 be-
tween 40 and 40; and l227 between the
ages of 80 and 80, The tables regard
ing the occupation show that the high
est rate of insanity is among non-brain-
working people.
Blindness Is Preventable.
OF the 54S blind, hereditary transmits
sion is the cause of over 80 per cent of
the cases of which PHI per cent. are
prcventabe in that the parents were at
ticted with various preventable diseases.
This ratio is highest in the cities. \
bill introduced at this session of the
Legislature compelling all physicians TO
use certain solution on the eyes of
newborn babes will, it is said, percept-
IDLY reduce the number of cases of this
nature. Such cases as this-blindness
caused by neglect of the eyes at birth
are shown TO have died almost always
before they reached the age of 30 There
are 360 blind males, 1S6 females and
two negro men among the blind cases
cited.
Sixty per cent. of the feeble minded
ness is due to heredity according to the
figures presented. Oh the Ioi2 cases,
1433 are unmarried. There are AZ
males and 129 females.
The histories of the 5O1 cases of cpl
lcpsy show that 10 per cent. are due to
heredty. OF the total number 1893 are
single. Ia are married, 2S4 are males,
and 223 are females. Among the epilep-
tics there is no other predominating
cause except heredity.
Investigation Most Complete.
This has been the most complete invcs-
tigation into heredity as the cause of
blindness, insanity, feeble mindedness
and epilepsy ever conducted in the Unit
ed States since 1916, when DIR. n. S.
Howell of Boston conducted his nota-
bile inquiry as to the causes Of mental
effectiveness.
Elmore T. Elver who has been most
is a Madison lawyer who was defeated
for reelection last fall by Frank Smith,
a retired Madison dentist. In spite of
his defeat. however he has devoted a
large share of his time to the investiga
ton. believing feryently in his bill to