South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-02-04
DOCTORS OPPOSE
WISCONSIN LAW
EugeniCS Proves Subject of Hot
Discussion BY Medical Men
and CIergy-0ppOSe Sex Hy-
giene in Schools.

In a discussion that ranged over
every phase OF the subject medical.
sociological moral and legal, MEM
bers OF the county medical society
~Fith several clergymen as guests, dis
cussed until after midnight Wednes-
day morning the mooted subject OF
eugenics
There was no conclusion.
The nearest 10 unanimous endorse +
ment received by any proposition was
one OF Or. Berteling's that sex hygiene
should not be taught in the public
schools.
Done carelessly, promiscuOusly it
will do much more harm than good,
ne asserted. 1T Is task Tor the
parents and the parents must be edu-
Gated 20 their duties. II il "A task for
fathers OF sons and daughters.
That the greatest safeguard TO
morality was right training in the
nome and in the church. development
strength of viii, was the contention
OF Father J. r. DeGroOte. Father =. J.
Carroll and Rev. g.. W. Henry.
Law Is Impractical.
Practically all the doctors were
agreed that the Wisconsin law which
provides for "A physical examination of
men before marriage, the physicians
tical and unscienUhc. Rev. Mr..
lie n1ry depE-red one effect OF it, the
common law marriages which had re-
suited from IT,
or. Charles Stoltz suggested that the
examinations TO be effective should be
made by a regularly appointed com
mission. but even then the problem of
handling all the cases thoroughly and
Of taking care OF them in the small
towns and the country presented prac-
ticII obstacles.
Eugenics as Interpreted IN the line
of a selection OF the proper mates
for each individual TO the end of i'm
proving the race just as cattle
breeder By selection improves the
strain OF his cattle, did not get Sc
rious consideration. DR.. W. G.. Veg
ner quoted Clarence barrow as show
ing that by any proper eugenic tests
Shakespeare, Burns and other great
men would never have been born.
we do not know enough about the
laws OF human heredity TO make Sc
ICcuons." said DR.. Charles BOsenbury,
VINO had the main paper OF the even
ing I'VE can only observe and trace
back. find what iii effects have grown
out of iil-mated marriages. and pre-
vent the union OF epileptcs, alcoholics,
degenerates. feeble-minded people
and the like. as the present Indiana
law now does.
Family Costs Million.
Or. Bosenbury used the often
quoted Jukes family in New York as
supporting his contention, family of
900 descendants of a single couple,
with almost every member defective
i'm some way and including murder
ers. prostitutes, idiots. degenerates and
insane. "a family that has cost the
state " New York $1,000. 900 and may
cost much more yet" he said.
However even the fOrbidding OF
marriage TO the alleged unfit did not
pass unchallenged. Or. G. +. Hansel
pointed out that from the abnormal
families came often the worlds
geniuscs as well as its degenerateS,
citing Napoleon, Caesar BYRON and
others as coming of bad stock"
The normal man is the average
man. he said These abnormal FAM
lilies sometimes furnish such devia-
tions from the average type that the
world calls them great
1T is a serious question whether
man shall step in and usurp the func-
tions OF omniscience." declared
Father DeGroote 1T is taking
high responsibility for man TO say
what men shall have children and
what not"
Rabbi Cronbach was among those
who favored forbidding the unfit TO
we'd Some few things we know.
Many things we do not know" he
stated COnsisely. "Of the things we
DO know are these. that feeble mind
edncss Is hereditary and syphilis
tTansmissabie. We should act on this
knowledge for the betterment OF man
kind."
Debate Keen One.
The meeting was one of the best
attended and the subject perhaps the
moss hotly debated in long time by
the medical society. The presence Of
the visitors and the live nature or the
subject as stimulated by much recent
discussion gave an edge 90 the debate
that grew only keener as the evening
wore on.
The discussion grew out Of the
statement at a recent meeting by one
physician that he had been called
upon shortly before ny South Bend
minister 10 examine a young couple
who wished 20 marry. The minister
wanted TO know if the examination
could be made and what the fee
would be. A discussion followed the
announcement and the special even
ing was decided on. DR. BOsenbury
was assigned on the main subject with
Dr. r. g. Shanklin and Or. +. j. Lent
supporting him.
II the doctors expected that the
ministers would all unite in urging