New-York tribune., 1912-03-10
THE DANGER IN eUeENIcs,

THE Cnlet DANGER OF euStIllNS' dNNol"l'
20 a recent English writer, is that when 'he
biological theories upon which it rests have
come home to the public, as they are very
rapidly doing, there are certain to be
large number Of energetic oversanguine
people who, deserving with JOY this prom
Using opportunity for doing something big,
and especially something that comes for
ward under the august patronage of sci
ence. will proceed to experiment vigorously
before scientific knowledge is really ripe
for application.
''The main thing to be done at present is
10 bring people TO think about eugenics
and to collect data in order that more
exact knowledge Of the laws of hereolty
NAV be obtained. Human beings are not
10 be- bred like farm stock and II is not the
object of this paper 10 advocate the placing
of any legal restriction on the marriage of
degenerates.
LAS matters stand to-day, It is not possi-
HE TO obtain accurate data as to human
beredity. except in a comparatively small
number of cases. and il seems to the writer
that If the trouble were taken 10 educate
public opinion up to the point, it would he
quite feasible for New Zealand TO make a
most valuable contribution to the study OF
eugenics at a cost which would be trihing
compared with the benefits TO be obtained.
''Rrief1y, the idea is that every person be-
fore marrying should be compelled by law
to undergo a medical examination. The pup
lie has been accustomed for many years
past to submit without complaint TO eX-
animation by doctors when taking out lie
insurance policies, and the examinations
now proposed would not be one whit more
irksome than that. The doctors would give
each person examined a certificate, setting
out his or her general physical condluon
and the answers given to the usual ques-
tions as to parentage, age OF parents al
death, and cause Of parents and brothers
and sisters deaths, and so on. For the
purpose Of compiling statistics the persons
examined might be grouped into three or
four grades, according 10 their general
soundness of physique and stock.
''The examination would be perfectly prl-
vate and confidential and its result would
not even be disclosed by the doctor to the
other party to the marriage. The certificate
would be issued and the person receiving
it could then do as he or she thought ht
with it, One alteration in the law might
however, be made with advantage, and that
would be to provide that where one party
10 a proposed marriage refused TO show
this official medical certificate to the other
marty. no action for breach of promise
would lie.
.'The result Of such an examination as
that proposed would be that no person
could contract a marriage without having
attention directed to his or her physical
fitness to do so.
"Of course, when two people, presumably
more or less in love. get to the stage OF
applying for a marriage license, no doc
tors views as TO their physique are likely
10 have much weight with them. Admit
ting this. 1t has still to be recognized that
the mere fact that there is a medlcaI eX-
animation to be undergone before mar
riage can take place will cause the Whoe
population to think much more seriously
about this important question than ever
At has done in the past. a direct nauonal
premium, as It were, is placed on good
health. People assess most factors in
marriage, and here would be new one
that not only the parties themselves, but
their relatives also, would show keen in
terest in, The "a or top grade certificate
given to a thoroughly sound and well de-
yeloped person would be something worth
having: a 81 would be tolerable; C
would conjure up visions Of doctors bills
and physic for a family of future weak
ungs. and a dwell, a d would be a
pity.
THE NATIONAL POINT OF VIEW.
so much for the proposal from the point
of view Of the Individual From the ma
tional point of view the result would be
that a return could be issued every year
along with the other vital statistics show
ing the number Of as marrying as
the number Of as marrying bs,' the
cfcs
on through the list. The country would be
able TO see at a glance how things were
tending. and in case Of the d's,' more
specific information might be published in
another table, showing the grounds on
which they were so classified.
1.-The marriage Of 'd's with DIS would
give a clew as to what extent the produc-
tion Of degenerates was going on, and the
course of the statistics would soon indicate
whether further legislation was desirable
while the whole examination would be
rriyate and confidential, a duplicate or the
certificate concerning each person would
be filed away in the government archives
lust as the private and confidential income
tax returns of the community are already
filed in government offices. From these
records properly accredited officials Would'
in time, be able TO secure definite lnlorma-
ton as TO the ancestry or the great ma
tority of the inmates of mental hospitals
and detectives generally. In the course OF
a hundred years, which, after all, Is a snort
time in the life of community, an enor-
NOUS mass of data would be available and
Invaluable light would, doubtless. have been
shed on may obscure problems of heredity
After few years public opinion would,
probably, be ready for a further extension
of the law, providing mat when the birth
of a child is registered particulars MUST
Ne supplied as TO the parents health grad
ing, and a simple table could then be com
piled, showing from which sections the
bulk Of the next generation of citizens Is
coming.
'aThe medical officers experimenting the
examining would also be in position to
follow the history of all marriages between
degenerates taking place throughout New
Zealand. Any future proposals for re
strictive legislation would then be made
not on theoretical assumptions, but in the
hight of cold facts and the experience OF
the whole community.
Though the state might we'll pause at
any proposal 10 prohibit the marriage OF
degenerates, there would be much less OBJ
lection 10 attempts 10 mitigate the evil
effects of their tainted heredity on the of
spring Of such marriages With Plunket
nurses and a State Public Health Depart
ment IL should not be difficult TO visit the
homes Of such couples occasionally. and I
advise the parents In the rearing OF their
children, or. If need be, see that the chill I
dren were placed where they could be prop |