The sun., 1916-12-27
DOCTORS AGAINST
BIRTH CONTROL
New York County Medical
Society Refuses to In
dOrse Subject.
THE SESSION Is 0
Prof. Sprague Advocates Large
Families for the
Wealthy.
THE SESSION IS STORMY

The New York County Medical So-
ciety turned down birth control last
night BY = vote Of 80 to - after .
stormy session In Hosack Hall. II West
Forty.third street. The vote was on the
adoption of the majority report Of .
committee against the society going on
record as in favor Of an amendment to
section 1it2 Of the Penal Law. which
prohibits physicians giving birth control
Information.
The hall was packed. 1t was prob
ably the largest meeting that the DO
ciety has ever held. and there were
about zoo visitors. many Of them women.
Although the discussion was expected
to deal only with the medical aspects
OF birth control most OF the speakers
discussed " from other standpointe, and
thus plenty Of entertainment was fur
nished for h curiosity seekers.
Some Of the older physicians were
openly disgusted with the trend OF the
discussion. Dine doctor. who sat with
Margaret II. Sanger. arrested recently
for operating a birth control clinic In
the County Medical Society OF perform
ing criminal operations. INC said that he
could prove II. He was hissed and his
statement was challenged.
Birth controls best known exponent
In tho society. DR.. A. jacob. was not
well enough to attend. DR.. q. w. Kos
max read the majority report. urging the
society not to ally itself with illegal
practitioners and sensation mongers," and
these members Of the committee had
subscribed to II DIR. NJ. c. O'Brien, DR..
r.. Van Fleet. Dr. W. II. Bishop. Dr. II.
c. Taylor and DR.. c. Z. Nammsck. DR.. 4.
l.. Goldwater n DR.. s. A. Tanncnbaum
presented n minority report. advocating
birth control because ''ws zee the danger
and horror Of criminal operations"
Told 10 Meet Issue.
Dr. Ira S. Vile spoke In favor OF the
minority report. He urged them no, to
dodge me issue and charged that there
were members Of the society who gave
This Information now and broke the law
In 90 doing. He was ashamed Of the
majority report. n he siienced the cries
Of Question |" by asking q free discus.
sion so that the press may say that the
County Medical Society tool ifteen min
utes Of Its valuable time for open dis
cussion Of this theme"
DIR. Morris H.. Kahn, who sat with
Miss Sanger. old of a birth control
clinic he had been connected with, a
Ing that sixty.four women had told him
In that clinic that they knew doctors
49, .ou 80. 1.,o" 'nIis opera''ohs.
bers OF this society"
MAJ" ".~es s"..se nsS I'M.
s.,a n. w. I,'"s !. y, .m'' sve,e'S.
mas. rood arS n.e..r ~ Up 70 n,m 10
o.. S.. '.o's". - "Hnnes
ohe p"ys'cish IN oppcs,nS Dirtn con.
- - '""' ~. iNoosevei.
800 ua'e uee" 'nefe. Hnouhe. ea''eu
IT, y p's'u'es VI, emlhsn. puys'cla,s
~ Wson. nsss ."., nuhs ,n inc suai-
so,iunh " speaN out tne'r m,hoe' IL was
'e'' .ns' .ns nn. vote mas e'hnihated the
sues''on OF o'Ith coh'roi from tue county
"eo'cs' eoe'e'y io' some time 10 come.
ur' Talks.
Birth control for the poor but birth
release for the rich, with the susees-
tion that the wealthy have large FAM
lilies, was advocated Yesterday by Prof.
Robert j.. SpraRue OF the departmen Of
humanities OF The M~asuchu,etts Arr.
Cnns,r"o,,y. p,~.s ~.,,.a,.
before the American Oenetic Association.
meeting In conjunction with the Ameri-
can Association for the Advancement Of
Science.
Prof. Sprague. who has made extern
sive studies In economics and who Ia a
fellow of the American Association for
the Advancement OF Science, gave an
exhaustive address on his subject. lie
emphasized the need Of birth control
as a part Of the nations programme for
racial Independence and high standards
Of life"
Prof. Sprasus suggested such control
ito prevent the preponderance OF births
among the poorer classes n to raise the
average quality of human life By proper
protection OF the mother and by proper
intervals between children"
Prof. SpraEue also advocated "the use
OF Government and other organised
agencies for. encouraging and protecting
the family and for enabling people OF
high standards TO maintain families,
| lie urged the public ownership Of utili-
| ties $50 that the family will not be
burdened with the highest possible rates
| while other consumers may get lower
rates and SO that these utilities could
be used to encourage home building
Fsvors Tso''c o"""'p'
n,b,,c ownersbIp Of railroads, which
would enable the public to haye family
tickets, week END family excursion ra.es
wOrkmen's trains. cheaper stauran
facilities. older limit for free a
sage for children he wanted TAX re-
form. He urged free medicai attendance
at childbirth and free medical advicc
by district nurses He suesesteu soc,a
insurance arransed 70 ehcourase TIT
family rather than the ino'V'ouai' -,