The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-02-09
Solution Of Problem Lies In
This, The Speaker
Believes
REPRODUCTION OF
KIND SHOULD CEASE
Second Of The Library Lee
lures Proves Edifying
Affair
Says DR.. LIMERICK

Advocating a greater segregation of
lthe feeble-minded that their kind
may not be reproduced, and present
ing graphically, by means of charts,
that crime in general results from
weakened powers of intellect, DR.. e.
J. limerick Of Columbus edited
goodly-sized audience at the public IL
brary Monday evening with dis
course of an hour and half on "The
Greatest Problem of the Age"
The lecture, which was the second
in the educational extension series of
the public library, was enjoyed by
very representative audience which,
despite the rather cold condition of
the library, listened with attentive
ness to all that was said.
DR.. limerick was presented by
President II. C. Devin of the trustees
of the library.
Four questions were advanced by
the speaker:
1-Who are feeble-minded?
2-What is the cause?
3-How many are there?
Are they increasing?
Predetermined people, according to
DR.. limerick, are divided into three
classes the idiot, who has the men
tality of three-year-old child; the
imbecile, whose mentality ranges
from that of three to a seven-year-
old child and the moron, whose men,
tai capacity is as high as that of IL
year-old child. The idiot cannot pro
tect himself from danger; the imbe-
cile is not self-sustaining, while the
moron, with proper guidance, may be-
come self-sustaining.
Spinal trouble, scarlet fever, injury
feeble-minde dness, DR.. limerick stat
ed, but the majority Of causes result
from heredity. Estimates made by
experts in this line of work show that
about 65 per cent of the cases re-
suit from heredity.
From surveys made in two coun-
ties in Indiana, it was shown that 1876
per cent of the population of one was
feeble-minded and SO of the other
Conservative estimates have it that
ffteen-tenths of one per cent Of the
total population of the country is
feeble-minded. This would mean
that there are $4,000 feeble-minded
people in the state of Ohio, 10000 OF
whom need segregation, of which on
ly 1000 are accommodated and 5000
are at large.
The expense of segregation is much
greater, DR.. limerick affirmed, by tbs
present system where these feeble
minded people are placed in penal ol
reform institutions, later to be re
leased and propagate their species.
It is just for this latter reason, ht
maintained, that the feeble-mindet
are increasing. More feeble-minde(
babies are now being raised than ev
er before. Nearly per cent of th'
population of the United States is il
institutions at an expense Of $100,
100000 annually.
avery imbecile should be pre-
vented from reproducing" DR..
limerick declared, but In a rather
discouraged way, added that
there 10 no use Of passing laws
in advance OF human sentiment.
To illustrate criminal tendencie
among the feeble-minded, DR.. Emel
q ick cited the fact that rs per cent O
the inmates of the penitentiary ar
heeble-minded and 25 per cent mol
al imbeciles; 40 per cent Of the ir
mates of the reformatory are feeble
minded; 40 to so per cent of the il
dustriaI schools; 25 per cent OF tn
children's home and so per cent G
the paupers. Sixty-one per cent c
Juvenile court subjects lack norma
mentality, he said, while, from an e1
animation of 424 women of iIl-fam'
it vas disclosed that 81 per cent plu
were weak-minded.
''The juvenile courts" he re-
marked. ain passing upon chill
dren, should sort them by mind
rather than by size or age, as 100