The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-28
DOCTORS WORKING
FOR RACE PURITY
State Medical Society Hears
Paper by DR.. Charles V.
Darlington.
COMMITTEE ON EUGENICs
Will Cooperate With Other
Bodies in Securing Special
Legislation.

Cooperation OF tho physicians OF tho
state In tho movement Tor race purity
was secured a meeting OF the State
Medical Society III Lynchburg last
week. following the reading OF a paper
on eugenic marriages by DR.. Charles
V. Darlington, OF Richmond After dis
cussion almost all OF which was
favorable. tho society appointed as a
committee on cugeuics DIR. Darlington.
DR. Drewry, OF Petersburg; Dr.. Foster.
OF Norfolk, ana DIR. Wcrtenbakcr, OF
the United States Public Health and
Marine Hospital Service. Tho commit
too was instructed TO cooperate with
the state Board OF Charities and Cor
rectons and with other interested
bodies as to special legislation desired
at the coming session of the General
Assembly.
Or Carringtons paper. which has
been widely commended both by ply
s.cians and ministers who have given
thought and study 10 the subject, fol-
lows;
DIR. CnrrInSton's Address.
| ] have chosen as the subject for my
paper tonight euGenic marriages. /
do this with the earnest hope that a
| full discussion OF every phase Of this
great movement may follow Keep
tho race pure--let that be our text and
watchword. II this generation Of ply
sicians VIII meet the issue fairly and
gquareiy and lend their every effort in
season and out of season. TO tho cdu-
cation and enlightenment OF the public
on tho great good and blessing that
would come to humanity as result OF
! personal purity-with tho resultant
race purity-the next thirty years
would be the greatest period In the
history of tho ages.
Physicians as Il class arc always self
sacrificing and unsclash in their eff
forts to benefit humanity. The last
thirty years have been literally full 10
overtiowinG with the benehcent results
OF their work.
1t would not he proper IN this paper
and discussion TO dwell on the inesti
mahl . benefits 10 mankind that have
resulted from ant!septics. diphtheria
the hosts Of other serum amtitoxins and
phylacogens. We physicians ALI know
Of the insidious ravages OF certain dis
eases. We know that a confirmed
minded individual should not marry
and beget children. We all know that
Grafton is sure 10 follow We have
Gods word for it. And stu we most
OF US, sit by and viii not raise our
hand or voice to help forward the
great movement for race purity.
Increase I'm Criminals.
| 1t IS always most striking 10 bring
Pile here in Virginia. There was
! time. hfty or sixty Years ago, when
on, person in every $.5oe was Grim
wrongdoing and sent 10 the penitcn
tiary or TO jail. Now, in 1919, one in
every $50 goes 10 jail. Now. tho 10000
some OF them right now reproducing
their same species In Virginia: our
/ insane aSylums, for whites and blacks,
arc full and overcrowded Just on the
outskirts OF Lynchburg is being estab-
! lished an institution for the care and
I treatment OF confirmed epileptics.
splendid work, and In most capable
hands.
Before the war. nfty years ago. an
in Virginia. Now we have over 1000
OF these poor creatures in the colored
ASYLUM in Petersburg. And SO we
might almost uncndingly enumerate
the evidences of race impurty. We
! physicians all know these things To
be true, and now il behooves. us TO not
great and united effort on our part.
inaueurate and carry through a cam
is all very we'll and certainly most
proper. FOR the clergy 10 go to the
fountainhead OF this matter and
say that they Will not marry parties
| who have a communicable disease Of
immoral origin, but II comes right
back 10 rs. the physicians. to give the
ccrtlncato, clean or unclean.
Physicians Should Aid.
Everything. every movement. has 10
have beginning. and their decision.
not to marry people having com
/ municablc disease OF immoral origin
is n splendid idea as far as il goes.
and we physicians should unhesitating
III this movement but in time II should
be possible 10 forbid the issuance OF a
Incense to any person having com
municable disease. no matter OF what
origin. That takes in everything from
diseases of immoral origin to diseases
OF inheritance. Then and only then will
We begin to stem the tide of criminal
degenerate. feeble minded. epilcptic
and insane, which is so surely poliut-
Ing and threatening determination Of
The. double standard OF virtue. which
men lor ages nave arroEatcd to them
Css nesa;s is f si n,a, era.lly wrong
/ but Caesar can be. and is often a black
hearted; unclean. lechcrous scou,-
! drei. who. i'll entering the holy bonds
even the third and fourth generation.
mo whirlwind OF disease. suffering and
sorrow which his descendants must
reap because, perchancc. under this
same double standard OF virtue, he
mas mad his ling in the fresh keen hour
or youth. Holy matrmony is an hon
oraDle estate. instituted by God in the
time of mans nnoccncy. The first
marriages on earth We're theoretically
and actually eugenic marriages; that is
/ 10 SAY, the contracting parties were
actually without mental, physical or
moral faint. When sin entered into
/ the world and the expulsion from the
Garden of Eden followed. and on the
heels OF this exodus came the cleva-
| sici VI tilc uouDlt Sl.tIuafu OF virtue
for men to live under. then slowly but
! surely, through tho ages. race de-
terioration ensued.
/ Heritage of Disease.
| Or course no one is able To say nj
what date epilepsy feeble mindedncss
| insanity, ophthalmia neonatorum and
| degeneracy in its varied forms became
established as the heritage of the hui
man race, but IT is pitifully and solemn
y true that all this, and more. is our
| heritage III direct ratio us our fathers
! and forefathcrs led exemplary or inn
! moral lives. Iieredty is Il fearful
nonGet-away- from proposition. and
/ God grant that we OF this generation
1 give our utmost efforts 10 the better
ment OF this, our generation. 50 that
| succeeding generations may rise up
and call us blessed: for ii IA assuredly
Il fact that YOU can as certainly out
!. breed epilepsy, feeble minuedneaa and
| dcgencracy III all its forms NJ you ana
| your forcbears could inbrccd them
I one little entering wedge has been
driven by which a ray of Illuminating
! light may enter this dark and und!s-
cussable subject. by. tho public ne
| tion OF the Episcopal Diocesan Coun-
Gil or Virginia. when last spring i'm
open session. 1t passed tho following