The Greeley tribune., 1912-11-28
THE NUMBER
OF FEEBLE MINDED


among the population of England
and ireland the Royal Commission
compiled statistics which make 1t
evident that the feeble minded
mothers of Great Britain have pro-
portionately twice as many children
rs the normal Field workers In
this country encounter a similar
condition. The feeble minded are
multiplying at twice the rate OF the
general population. This is largely
accounted for by the fact that
feeble minded men and women are
lacking in self control. The result
Of research work by the department
OF public charities in Philadelphia
confirms the opinion that the rate
OF propagation of the feeble minded
is tar greater than that of the nor
NAL. The birth rate is not an ac-
curate index of permanent increase,
since the low mental or financial
status of the parents lessons the
children's chances of survival. The
infant death rate in the illegitimate
Kallikak line. for instance, was
about six times as great as in the
legitimate line.
Still the fact that such defective
lines are able to increase at all and
to perpetuate themselves for gen.
erations Is sufficiently disquieting.
It is notorious that the offspring of
feeble minded parents are especially
liable to inherit the defective mem
tality. According to Goddard,
about 6o per cent OF all the feeble
owe their condition to
heredity. 1t thus becomes apparent
that the one great problem In the
of feeble mindedness Is
the prevention of reproduction by
tnose who are thus afflicted.
Many tentative experiments have
been made along the line of steril-
ization. Indiana. Washington. Cali
Connecticut, Nevada, Iowa.
New Jersey and New York have all
passed laws which provide for some
form Of sterilization OF feeble mind
I'd and certain criminal types. Penn
uylvania 10 prevented from having
such law only BY the governors
veto of the bill. Kansas and Ne
braska have both made experiments
with this method of dealing with
sexual Offenders. For political rea-
sons both Of these states have had
TO abandon tho practice At least
The New Jersey law.
though far-reachtng and carefully
planned to avoid abuse while lend
Ing itself 70 the aid Of scientific re-
search, has not been In effect long
enough to warrant conclusions ~ to
Ito practical outcome. Indiana has
given the sterilization plan the
most thorough trial Of all. In that
state the practice of vasectomy ON
certain criminal types has been
legaltzed for the last seven years.
In the reformatory 1t Jacksonville
about three hundred men have been
operated %.
When the whole subject 10 viewed
from . practical point Of view the
arguments for sterilization Of the
detective seem greatly to
advanced against II. Many inmates
ID could b kept safely At their
homes and 1t least help to earn
their own living. were II not for
The opportunity to reproduce their
own kind which such liberty would
give them. Although Segregation
Of this class during the whole Of the
reproductive period 10 effective In
It's results, II carries with It . finan-
cial burden which seems unneces-
sarily large. Considered In all its
various aspects. says the Journal of
the American Medical association.
II would appear that the most prac-
tical plan tor the elimination OF the
feeble minded strains should tu-
combine the methods OF