New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-21
WOULD STOP |LL-BORN
DR.. Hutchinson Advocates Plan
OF Negative EugenicS.
WANTS CHILDREN WATCHED
American Public Health Asso.
citation Elects DR.. Rudolph
Herring as President.

! Washington, Sept 20.-The fortieth an.
nual convention OF the American Public
| Health Association adjourned tonight to
meet next year at Colorado Springs. The
convention unanimously adopted the re-
port OF the advisory council, which rec
commended the election OF the following
officers:
President, DR. Rudolph Herring, Of New
York; vice presidents, Drs. w, r. Bait.
! Of Harrisburg, Penn: James Roberts, Of
Hamilton, ont, and J. Il. Monjaras, Of
Mexico. secretary, Selskar NJ. Gum, and
treasurer. De Livingston Farrand.
How 10 improve the race in morals and
intelligence and thereby create higher
standard OF citizenship was discussed
tonight bp Dr. Woods Hutchinson, Of
New York. whose address on The I'm
portance Of Negative Eugenics; or, The
Prevention OF IlI-Born," was feature OF
the closing session.
Pointing out the impracucability OF the
plan OF Sir Francis Gallon, Of London,
who advocated the intermarriage only OF
those persons who represented the high
est development In physical, moral and
Intellectual powers as the best method
/
urged that the question now was not how
to produce the really fit but how to pre-
vent the production Of the unit. He
said the time to start the plan was in
childhoo. and that symptoms OF feeble
mindedness. insanity and criminallty
could be detected in the child before the
ages OF three to ten years.
All children who were found In this
class. DR.. Hutchinson said should be
segregated into open air colonies and
every attention given to bring them up
to as high a standard as possible. He
suggested the sterilization Of grown per-
sons IN this class as q means OF pre-
venton Of the ill-born. lie added that
the greatest reservoirs for degenerates
were in rural communities colonies where
feudists, outlaws, moonshiners. etc,
thrlved under animal conditions. and the
conditions under which the idle rich lived
I'm this country.
The doctor asserted that from 30 TO 20
per cent Of drunkenness and from 10 to
80 per cent of prostitution were caused by
mental defects.
Prevent the ill-borp and you Will have
no use for your asyiums, jails. criminal
courts and police officers he concluded
A living comparison Of the efficiency OF
the fight being waged I'm the South against
the hookworm disease was presented
to the association by DR.. Charles W.
stiles, I'm charge OF the work being done
by the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission.
Luther Mcpherson. frail. thin and waxen
OF hue. suffering from severe case OK
hool,worm. was placed on the platform oy
the side OF Selma Ellis. strong and hearty
looking, but who looked like post-mor-
tenn material, OF which II was badly In
need when We discovered him, said DIT
STILES. The question Of Kidding the South
OF the hookworm he declared. had passed
the medical stage and had become SO
Geological problem.
As an example OF cooperation between
state and local health authorities and So
eial workers, highest praise was given TO
the battle against the hookworm by John
NJ. Glenn. general director OF the Russell
Sage Foundation. and DR.. w. +. Snow.
secretary OF the California Board Of
Health The latter paid high tribute to
the efficiency as Il health administrator OF
DR.. Rupert Blue, OF the Public Health
Service.
Good health administration Is worth
more TO a city than low tax rate" de-
clared Mr. Glenn. zone hundred dollars
spent I'm health administration is easily
OF $4,000 value in practical benefit to the
community. The puolic should be taught
to know that the Health Department is
as important to welfare and progress as
any other branch OF government. The
health officer should be well paid and free
from political influences and change"
oIIMlANG MEM.NQRX lRIRlINE