Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1913-01-10
WOULD RESTRICT
MARRIAGES NOW
MaricOpa County Medical
Assn. Joins Ministers TO
Prevent Unhealthy
Marrying
ADOPT RESOLUTIONS

The Maricopa County Medical so
ciety has lined up with the Phoenix
Ministerial association in the fight
for physical examination of persons
contemplating marriage.
In a resolution adopted at the last
meeting, the society recommends that
persons applying for marriage licenses
be examined by a board of competent
physicians not engaged at the time in
regular practice. Following is the res
Olution:
Be II Resolved: That the Maricopa
County Medical society will endorse
and assist any movement 10 educate
the public In matters pertaining 10
health. including the Importance Of
physical health in both parties con-
templating marriage.
We believe in discouraging the mar
riage of people when they obviously
cannot procreate healthy offspring
owing TO disease in themselves, and
when the probabilities are that the
result OF such marriage will be the
spread of disease. or the birth of
children who VIII become q burden
upon society by reason OF disease.
imbecility. criminality or degeneracy.
In making this endorsement, the so
cIety wishes to call attention to well
known facts that the increase in
crime, vice and degeneracy depends,
TO large extent, apon the existence
OF disease or mental defects in par
ents and the inheritance of these dis
cases and defects By children.
We wish TO emphasize the fact thar
burdens are imposed upon society in
the form of ;mbeciles, criminals and
inebriates the fruit OF the marriage
OF people who ate unable to prOcreate
healthy children. -Ihat syphilis. aoa-
OTrheas mental effectiveness and
drunkenness ia parents may mean de
fectiye. deformed children, and so
long as the marriage OF such people
continues, society must continue to
tax itself to care for their offspring
We recommend a persistent cam
paign or education 10 bring viyiGly be-
fore the people the Importance OF
healthy marriages, the inevitable re-
suits of neglect Of the question. and
the possibilities and difficulties facing
any such education among people gov
erned primarily by natural desires.
The society recommends the form
ulation and adoption Of a plan or ed
ucatiOn in the public schools of the
state which will give such instruction
in a natural graded manner as will
eliminate in a knowledge OF the true
meaning OF the sexual instincts, mar
riage and procreatiOn, as well as the
dangers OF prostitution OF these func-
tions 20 unnatural ends.
The society pledges its support as
an educational force in bringing 70
the attention OF the people of Arizona
the importance of health matters in
general and Of this particular phase
which is now being made prominent.
The Maricopa County Medical so
eiety endorses the proposal to secure
legislation aimed TO prohibit mar
riage among the following classes OF
defective persons:
u Those of unsound mind includ-
ing not only the insane but imbeciles
idiots and epileptics as well.
y Those afflicted with any vene-
real disease.
3 Those afflicted with tubercuIo-
sis in the third or advanced stage.
(4) Chonic alcoholics.
The society recommends as essen
tial to a thorough examination and an
unprecedented opinion that the exam
nation prior to marriage shall be
made by a board OF competent physi-
clans who shall be employed by the
state and who shall not. during their
.ncumbency, be engaged in private
practice nor actively engaged in any
other business.
The foregoing resolutions were duly
adopted. with one dissenting vote, az
a meeting of the Maricopa county
Medical society held at Phoenix,
Arizona, December p. 1912.
EDWARD F. GODFREY, JR.,
Secretary