The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-05
HOPE To BLOT OUT
CRIME IN YOUTHS
Plan Adopted by New York AuthOri-
ties To. Eradicate Criminal
Tendencies in Children.

NEW YORK, Feb. 4.-Medical
science. the courts and the city au
thorities In New York have joined in
an effort TO arrest or eradicate Grim
inal tendencies in the young. An an
nouncement OF a definite. plan was
made as the result OF conferences be-
tween President John d. Lindsay. OF
the New York Society for the Proven
ton OF Cruelty 10 Children. Justice
Deuel.. OF the Chfldren's court. and DR..
M. G. Schlapp. OF the Cornell Uniyer-
sify Medical School
Mrs. w. X Vanderbilt, Sr.. IS one
OF the patrons of the project which
aims so TO decrease the number OF
defective children by efecting cures
that criminal tendencies viii not be
impaired TO posterity. Surgery will
be employed for minor Affections with
the consent Of the parents and the
presiding officer of the Childrens
court.
Surgery Only Detail.
1T should be understood that sur
gical work is a detail os the plans.
DIR. Schlapp said. Medicine rather
than surgery, and healthful surround
ings while the patient is under treat
ment. will be depended upon 10 Ell
feet cures. The consent OF all con
cerned being secured. patient sui
fering from growths in the nose which
obstruct proper breathing, enlarged
or inflamed glands in the throats. or
minor ailments that oftenest are the
results OF inherited taints. viii be rec
commended for surgical treatment
Recreants brought to the Children's
court whose delinquency is attributed
to physical causes, viii be examined
by experts Rooms for their eXamin-
alton will be equipped Immediately in
the Childrens society headquarters,
Fonrth-ave. and Twenty-third-st, and
in the Children's court. Third-ave and
EIeventh-st The examining STAFF Will
consist of Or Schlapp, and Drs. Glib,
Winters. Buckley and Brown OF the
Childrens society corps. Their find
ings will be submitted 10 the presid-
ing officer of the Children's court for
disposition.
The number of cases calling for such
operations will probably not be large.
DR.. Deuel. said DR.. Schlapp's investi-
cations. which led to the present plan.
disclosed that hereditary blood taints
which can be remedied often bring
child into court when the child Is not
otherwise responsible. These blood
taints. IL unchecked. often lead TO ca
reers that are habitually criminal.
Mrs. Vanderbit's Part in Plan.
For the treatment of such cases.
adequate quarters must be provided.
Mrs. w. X. Vanderbilt. Sr.. who visit
ed the Children's court recently TO
study conditions, is looked upon as
the person most likely TO furnish quar-
tiers. A farm nearby or a home with
In the city limits probably will be Sc
cured and adequately equipped. This
would necessitate the outlay of a
large sum by Mrs. Vanderbilt
In the report OF the Children's conrt
received by Mayor Gaynor is included
summary of conditions which led TO
the adoption of plans on broad, hu-
manitarian scale probably never be
fore attempted by any city in the
world. The report says in part
1T has long been known scientific
ally that many adult criminals are vic
Tins OF conditions, ACQUIRED or hered-
itary. which result In mental disturb
ances predisposing them TO the devel-
opment of criminal tendencies With
such cases the time for relief, IL cura-
tive or ameliOrating remedies are pos
sible. is in youth and at the first in
dication of criminal tendencies. and
the best opportunity, therefore. is
through the Children's court. where
such unfortunates will naturally drift
1T can thus be early determined
with suitable medical expert assis-
lance whether the difficulty is durable
OF incurable. Cures will be less ex-
pensive TO the public than confinement
I'm charitable institutions and later on
In reformatories. prisons and work
houses. The acertainment of incura-
bility will be OF value when youth
ripens into full maturity.
Aid For The Feeble Minds.
There are also cases OF feeble
minds that come through similar
causes and susceptible of help sufh-
GENTLY TO stop the criminal -incina.
ton The court has been experiment.
Ing somewhat In this direction and
has the subject under most careful
consideration. II lacks proper facih-
lies for determining the value of such
work. There is no. institution to
which such children ordinarily may be
that possesses such facili-
ties in any proper degree.
The definite plans OF Mrs. Wander.
bilt and other patrons OF the project
will not be announced until the medi-
cal staf, the Children's society and
the Children's court have demon
strated what will he the capacity and
needs OF hospital or other institu-