New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-20
"CAVE MAN. CAUSES
A EUCENIC SCARE
Research Members Count
Finger Joints After
Hearing Tale.
DR.. KNOX TELLS WHY
FINN WAS DEPORTED
Insanity Increase Due to Quicker
Recognition of Madness.
Is Claim.

Members OF the Eugenics Research Asso-
citation, who gathered here for their an
nual meeting began anxiously TO COUNT
the Joints I'm their fingers and ascertain
the exact position of v1er ears last night
when Dr. Howard 4. Knox assistant sur
gcon OF the United States Public Heaith
Service on Ellis Island, described a cave
man whom he recently met.
The cave man was a Finn who wanted
10 get into the United States. He didn't
succeed because he was constitutionaily
inferior
Ills forehead was low and recedins'
said Dr. Knox. The supraorbital riugcs
were sharp and prominent, with long ana
shaggy eyebrows. His eyes were pierre
irg; his nose was saddle-shaped, with
prominent tip; his lips protruding and MS
chin massive. His teeth met at an angie
and his CANNES and first bicuspids were
Joined to form veritable fangs. His ears
we're below the line of the canthus OF the
eve. His arms were unusually long anu
his little fingers had two joints each IN
stead of three. making two thumbs on
each hand. His toes were prehensile.'
DR.. Knox said that the man was typi-
cal of a class Of immigrants who were
crowding into the country under the pres
ent laws. which placed the burden OF
proof on the government in exclusion
cases. He suggested that standards be
adopted which could be applied intelii-
gently TO keep out the unfit.
Practically all the immigrants from GER
unf6
They came here and stayed here, he
declared, because provision was made Tor
their care here and the law Of the sur
yival OF the fittest no longer applied.
In giving examples Of apparently hered-
itary cataract and nystagmus, or spas
modic rolling of the eyes, DIR. {. II. Dan
forth enthusiastically announced that ne
had recently discovered that one Of his
mice was afflicted with nystagmus. Later
he explained that he raised white mice
for experimental purposes and INTENDED
TO trace with great care the DESCENDANTS
of the mouse whose eyes rolled.
DR.. A. ]. Rosanoff, of Kings Park Hos
pital, told the members OF the assocla-
ton that although the census showed
great increase in the number of insane In
the Eastern and Northern states the
matter was not so serious as 1t might
seem. Many more lunatics were recog-
nized and restrained now, he said, than
formerly.
The number of insane per 100000 of
population in Oklahoma is 81 and in Mas
sachusetts 4l3.4, but Dr. Rosanoff said that
II the population of Oklahoma were trans
ported to Massachusetts and replaced by
the Bay Staters the figures might be
transposed In time, he said, II was con-
ceivabe that persons who would now be
rated as of ordinary intelligence would
be confined as imbeciles by our descend
ants.
DR.. A. II. Estabrook, of the Eugenics
Record ONCE, who has traced the Jukes
family up to date and found 2.1O0 men,
bers OF It, said that most of them went
TO the bad irrespective of their surround
ings Some, he found, rose in the world
despite adverse surroundings He told of
a man whose home is not far from Jer-
sey City. His father was a murderer.
From Juggling coal and wood in a wheel
harrow the man built up business Of
considerable proportions and is now a
highly esteemed citizen.
a Massachusetts family somewhat SINH
lar TO the Jukes was described by Isa-
belle V. Kendg, of Monson State Hospi-
tai, Massachusetts. It's progentors came
to America in 1923 and settled in the west
ern part of Massachusetts. Members OF
the family fought in the Revolution. In
the hill hamlet where the descendants
now live they are the aristocracy. Neigh
bors smile and shrug their shoulders at
their tendencies.
For that reason it's influence is regarded
as the more dangerous. The descendants
have intermarried. Two own steam mills,
four automobiles. They dress we'll and
have good manners. Nevertheless a
great proportion of the family are vic
tins of drink, immortality or are feeble
minded.