The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-01-18

will the gfuel- DR.. a. A. Brill
ling experience
that these two women suffered
during their pregnancies mark
their children? Will these inno-
cent babes be twisted mentally or
otherwise branded bv nature be-
cause of their parents.
Not at all. They have equal
chance with all other children, in
the opinion of noted psychologists
who were interviewed by this cor
respondent. They start even!
What becomes of them, what their
characters develop into, what life
holds for them need have no re-
lation whatsoever to the fact that
their mothers stood suffering, one
torn by sorrowful loss and under
suspicion, the other convicted of
murder and sentenced to the cleo
trio chair.
"There is 100 per cent agree
ment among competent scientists
that there is no specific injury to
a child from his mothers mental
and emotional experiences during
pregnancy" said DR.. Goodwin
Watson, psychologist at Teachers
College. Columbia University.
"There is absolutely no chance
that the trying experiences OF
these women will mark their Off
spring." .,....
"There are only two ways an
unborn child can be influenced"
he continued. "First, if the moth
er's general state of health is very
poor, the child may be undernour-
ished. Second, the psychology of
the mother after the child is born
may affect him. She may spoil
him by petting him too much. Or
she may be too strict with him
and thus affect his nervous sys-
tenn"
DIR. A. A. Brill, Americas fore
most psychiatrist, while unwilling
20 talk of specific cases that ne
has not personally investigated,
gave the following professional
opinion on prenatal influence that
has direct bearing on the case at
hand:
"Children that the world calls
unfortunate because of the pre-
dicament of their mothers during
their pregnancies, start life exact
~ the same as average children.
An average child has to cope with
hcredity and environment. | do
not know the heredity of these
two women. But, provided their
children are born with average
minds and bodies, their environ
ment will determine their life's
happiness.
an order for a person to be
absolutely normal, he should have
his first six years with both par
ents. If parents are lacking,
something is gone from his envi-
ronment, and his later adjust
ments to men and women out in
the world are harder.
l. lie dkGTdSe CIlllu SHoulu nave
father who is a real man, active
and aggressive, a mother who is
passive and attractive. and three
sisters and brothers for him to
fight with and to learn justice
from. In his case justice means
IF / can't get the whole thing,
nv sisters and brothers shouldn't
be allowed to get more of it than
II do
SIT doesn't make any difference
in the world if a mother has muir
dered anyone or been under sus-
picion or even under sentence.
Prenatal influence. if a woman is
weak or emotionally upset, need
have nothing to do with the ac-
tual mental and physical equip
ment of child"
Last-and very important t.
expectant mothers everywhere
the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, at At
lantic City, made the announce
ment that there is no possibility
whatsoever of mothers marking
their children before birth.
There is No nprvp connection