The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-11-02
FORBID MARRIAGE OF
WEAK MINDED PERSONS
R C II MO Nd. VA.-Special.-

X I II NJ y y ID, NA.-Special.-
Some MISUNDERSTANDING has oc-
CURED in connection with the report
that the State Board of Charities and
Corrections will ask the next Legis-
lature To so amend the marriage laws
as to require that applicants for Ii
cense to wed should first establish the
fact that they are mentally and ply
SiCally sound.
That is stating the proposition too
broadly, and if such a change were
brought about il would work results
little short of revolutionary.
As matter of fact. the State Board
of Charities and Corrections simply
desires to put check on unions be-
tween persons classified as "defec-
tive"-idiOts. lunatics and feeble
minded individuals.
Briefly stated, the board wishes the
law to be so amended as to author
ize court clerks to refuse to issue Ii
censes to persons whom they believe
to be feeble-minded. Moreover, the
board would require persons believed
TO be insane to give proof of their
complete recovery before being allow
ed to marry.
AS the laws are today. the court
clerks have no authority whatsoever
in the direction indicated, and more
than once they have felt themselves
compelled to issue marriage licenses
TO couples whose union was much tn
be lamented.
The feeble minded or "defective''
contingent Of Nirginia-and the same
may he said of this class in other
Commonwealth 2.2S4 unfortunates of
States-offer a problem which is not
easy of solution.
Secretary Mastin's statistics show
that by actual count there are in this
this class. while he believes the ac-
tual total is as much as $500.
At best, marriage among these peO-
pie can result only in offspring who
Will become "A charge on the public
OF the 2.2S4 detectives already men
toned, l,1f6 today are persons under
fifty years Of age who need custodial
care.
Dr. William +. Drewry, the super
intendent of the Central State Hos
pital at Petersburg, and an eminent
alienist, whose views command great
weight throughout the country, yes
terday offered the following resolu-
ton concerning the feeble minded at
one of the meetings of the Medical
Society of Virginia:
Whereas it has been ascertained
by the State Board of Charities and
Corrections that there are in this State
more than 5000 feeble minded and
idiotic persons, whose physical and
mental care and treatment are gross
~ neglected; and,
Whereas, under existing circum-
stances il is impossible to give such
NCAC%AANC iiOAN the care, treat
ment and training they need and
which every enlightened community
should require; and,
Whereas, such abnormal persons at
large are frequent sources of anX-
iety and danger, which should not be
imposed upon the community nor the
family, and, Furthermore, such per
sons constitute a large percentage OF
paupers. criminals, prostitutes, etc;
etc; and,
Whereas, by propagating their kind.
or in obedience to the laws of hered-
ity, the number of physical and men
tai detectives, insane. epileptics and
moral delinquents, etc. is increasing
TO further add to the burden of the
community and the family; and.
whereas, the problem of feeble
mindedness-the prevention. causes
and treatment-call for both scien-
tific medical study and research and
humanistic and social consideration,
be il,
Resolved, That it is the sense of
the Medical Society Of Virginia that
the State should make a suitable and
adequate provision for such persons
by the establishment of an institution
where they should be segregated.
cared for, studied and treated in ac-
cordance with the most modern and
approved scientific methods; and, fur
Resolved, That the members of this
society exert their influence in fur
thering this movement, and that the |
president appoint a special commit
tee consisting of five members to in
form the Legislature of the views Of
this association, and to cooperate
with other organizations or agencies
in effort to have established a State |
institution for the feeble-minded.
DR.. Drewry writes Secretary Mastin, J
of the State Board OF Charities and !
Corrections that he is confident of |
the ultimate passage of the resolution. |
which was referred to a committee |
And he believes. too. that the support
Of Virginias medical profession will |
go far towards remedying the present
evils complained of.