Delicious NECTAR TEA_ an invigorating beverage.

UVEMllER 27. SOUTH AFRICA iEDICAL RECORD. 33 1



The magnitude of the D. '. work in a di trict like would induce him to accept it for le than double

Potchef ·troom i hewn by the fact, for which we the alary.

can vouch, that, during the la t three or four year \\'e have quoted Potchef troom freely, becau e we

it ha , at tariff ra'tes, brought in an average annual have definite facts, but thi place i a type, in more

income of £1,500, ha been always one man' work, or le degree, of many other, and the quoting such

and very frequently entailed that one man' partner fact may help to make ome of our brethren realise

or a si tant helping him. It is now to be compen- what they are letting thcmselve in for in accept-

sated for by a alary of one-third of that Ulll, the ing Di trict Surgeoncie .

practical certainty being that the work will be In conclll ion, we trongly COUll el all our brethren

doubled or trebled. \ Ve mu·t remember that, apart to flatly refu e to take the place of a D. . away Oil

from the hortcoming of lazine and lack of grit, dut)', aving at full private practice rates. No one is

the poor white, or, at least, a large portion 0 f the more earne ton profes ional camaraderie than we are,

class, suffers continually frol11 diseases of a different but profes ional camaraderie pu hed into aiding and

type, rheumati m, bronchiti, cardiac troubles and abetting foolish or un crupulous members of the

the like, all of which demand bucket full of l1~edi­ profes ion in cutting the throat' of their brethren

cine. Under the tariff, not too liberal, the pauper lands u in a -reductio ad absurdum. The private prac-

extras at Potchefstroom have totalled up to an aver- titioner will be hit hard enough, as it is, by the whole-

age of £50 a month of late year. With uch a bill sale transfer to the D . . "pauper" li t of patients

coming in, one may be ure that the local authoritie hitherto paying fee \IVe may remind our readers

exercised the severest circumspection in the direction that, a year or two ago, the Government wa bad-

of issuing letters for medical attendance, and that, gered omewhat by complaint from the Farmers'

when once the financial deterrent i withdrawn, the C0I1O'reS of the hard hip of farmers who lived

"

remote from medical as istance. The new Dlstnct

. .

increase in pauper work will be enormous.

'urgeons' Regulation, we are in a position to say,

Rderring to Potchefstroom once more, \ye find

are desig1led to furni h the" way out" in this con-

that the average number of inmate of the pri on is

nection, and have only quite a secondary reference

from 100 to 120, representing not only much medi-

to temporary financial exigencie. Thi accounts for

cal supervision and much expenditure on drugs, but

the milk in the cocoanut a regard the exceptional

a very considerable amount of clerical work.

differentiation in connection with the medical pro-

Another point may also be mentioned, although it is

of an exceptionally local character, namely, that, fession.

Potchefstroom being a Defence Force headquarters,

the bills for examination of recruits have averaged

£17 a month. The new man will have to do that 'Ql;he 'roblent of fhe ~£nfallu-Dd£rtib£ Qthilb.

£17 worth of work for nothing.

Vye may mention that, in all places aving those By A. M. MOLL, M.B., Ch.B.

specially noted as enjoying a drug supply, the only

drugs supplied to the D.S. free will be mercury oint- THE PROBLEM DEFINED.

ment, potassium iodide, salvarsan and quinine, the

Government, obviou ly, only contemplating the two In the following paper I intel.ld u ing the ter.m

affections of yphilis and malaria. feeble-minded in the wide :-\ mencan sense; that IS,

to include all the grade. from the idiot upward , and

\Ve are, in connection with Potchei troom, at

to take within it province all such who are unable to

liberty to mention that the Acting Di trict Surgeon, take their place in the world-i.e., unable t.o compete

being taught by much experience of the inwardnes with thei r fellow in the truO'O'!e for eX1 tence or

of things, has flatly refu ed to accept the appoint- unable to manage their affairs with prudence and elf-

ment, well knowing that the performance of it control. An idiot is one 0 lacking in brain a to be

dutie would be quite incompatible with pri\'ate prac- quite incapable of training. He i equal in capacity

tice, and that the balance left, after deductinO' ex- to a baby of two ye2.rs.

An imbecile i capable 0 f 'ome training, and can

penses from the princely alary, would not uffice to

do thing in a routine way. IT e i about equal to a

pay for even the humblest of as i tants. It may also child from three to even year' old.

be mentioned that hi late as i tant, a young and A feeble-minded child or higher-grade moron is

energetic frikander, although relea ed from a capable of a good deal of training, and in potential

bond in re traint and allowed to take the appoint- power corre pond to a child of eight to twelve years.

ment if he 0 de. ired. has a1. 0 leclared that nothing The deficiency we are going to di eu i not a de-





Delicious NECTAR TEA, an invigorating beverage.

.:OU'l'l t 1'1llli sion of mental defcct i explicitly cited where, 0 Iona a parent were oher.



The Best Drink, Delicious NECTAR TEA.

OVEMBER -7. DUTH AFRIC RECORD. 333



the children were normal. When one or both b came They have ome 10' f memory are depressed, with

addicted to drink, the off pring become imbecile. cO\\', outburst of anger. Fortunately, the great maj rity, if

apart from gros mental defect, numerou: children carefully tided over this epoch, recover well. Oth r re-

are born dead or die in infancy. In America an ex- markable ca e are those of children who pa all men-

ten ive and penetrating study \':a made of 1.t'oo tal te:t except in one direction. boy may be a plen-

children by speciali t. The re. ults howed that the did arithmetician, but never properly learn to read.

alcoholism of parents not only affected the immediate He may have a marvellou memory and many me-

progeny. but \\'a transbted as disea e to the third chanical aptitude, and yet 'peak badly. He may

anc! later generations. The director 0 f a celebrated be a poet or an artist, and yet never be able to earn

asylum in Switzerland "ay that before the alcohol hi bread. 'uch children are liable to be held back.

monopoly \I'as introduced. there wa found in some lrritation \\·ill change th ir di po ition for the worse.

di tricts hardly one-third of the young people fit for Teachers hould also be acquainted with what i

military service. .-\ certain doctor ay of .orway called the pathological liar. Many of the e ca es

that the removal of the pirit duty increased in"anity a re epileptic or h) ·tericaL Many accuse themsel ve

So per cent. and idiocy 1 -0 per cent. In France we and other of criminal act \I"hich ha\"e never oc-

are told that a di ea e in the vineya rds of a certain curred. The accu ation made are not seldom 0 f a:

wine district, which could not be eradicated for ten .·exual nature, and naturally of great medico-legal

year, en ibly diminished the idiocy stati tic. ~ atu- Importance. The torie evince fertile imagination,

rally it would be uperfluou to multiply example . and do 11 t lack veri imilitude.

Having looked at cau ation, let us regard defect and In introducing the ubject of moral imbecility, we

its con equence for a few minute. Fir-tlv, the mo t are at once in touch with one of the crucial problem

striking cause of delinquellcy in children ( thi very of our time. Thi cla of imbecile i often called

mental defect. uch children never reach the tan- the born criminal. It i a patholoaical, developmental

dard of re ponsibility. From the idiot upward to the condition in the realm of feeling. It i imperative to

dull child, and those dull from enfeebling habit, we tudy such an individual' career to reach the correct

look for and find criminal tendencie. The wor t diagno i. In connection with this particular a pect

offender, unfortunately. often evades detection of the problem our greatest obstacle to progre s i

through the aift of intelligence, marked with cunning legal tradition. Judge' pel""i t in looking for violence,

and an exterior 0 f poli h. Repeated offender are triking d lu ion, or marked extravagance of de-

u ually abnormal. T udicial courts would better benefit meanour a the only te·t of a defective mind. \\'hen

the nation if judges were psycholoa;sts. and had even medical expert te tif)' to more ubtle or unusual

a rudimentary knowledge of mental te ting. The form, they are accu ed 0 f pedantry or . plitting

hurried and prejudiced diagnoses made in court are scientific hairs. Now, the mo t dangerou' case of

quite valueless. It may take weeks to reach a final 1110ral imbecility are those \I'here the intellect may

deci ion, a a knowledge of em'ironment, familv his- not apparently be deranged at all. These victims

tory, educational opportunity. and health conditions may border on geniu , but are ab olutely callous in

mu t be preliminary to an arrival at the tmth. Need- the moral ·phere. A iter the most villainou atroci-

less to say, our judiciary has not as yet. oared to uch ties, the-~ children display a most affable, reasonable

sublime altitudes of psychological and ociological demeanour in a court of la\\·. They are often egoi t ,

knowledge. The areate t mi takes, if not crimes. are but at the mercy of any iml110ral prompting. Their

made by a deficient knowledge of certain cia" es of whole ouls are bent on grati fying the wor t pa ion,

dull children. A dull or tired child i subjected to They, however, will ne\'er be convinced of their OWIl

irritation' and provocation amounting to mental tor- culpability. A French \\Titer, Esquirol, believed that

ture. The work given him i uncongenial. Fear enter ilIoral alienation is the true characteristic of mental

hi miserable oul. and in self-defence he takes to defect. Do not be deceived by the question of en-

vagrancy. Here he become a real criminal. A proper vironment in these case. \"ery young children

study of phy ;cal or environmental backgrounds i carcely beyond infancy are addicted to vice and

often neglected. The child ha :l deplorable home- crime with an in tinctive facility even in the most

life. He i starved, often beaten. He is kept out of perfect environment. The explanation is imply an

chool to do odd job ; hi. \"i"ion and hearing- may be inherited deficiency. Puni hl11ent has no reformatory

defective; he ha tonsil, and adenoids, or heart di - effect at all. It hould be repugnant to our sen e of

ea e, or chronic dy pepsia. Hi life i a veritable justice to inflict punishment on morbid persons, and

burden. If no efficient l11~dical in pection exists, thi tho e on whom we know in advance that uch treat-

child may be doomed by misjudoment to a life of ment will have no deterrent effect whatever. Thi

vagrancy or crime. Help him with' some encouraae- inability to di tingui h between right and wrong is

ment and a .oothing environment, and you make him their birth-mark. Take the following example: A

a decent citizen. Finally, don't lose ight of the fact girl, aged 16, i extremely cruel to animal and

that bad habits engendered in boys and girl at puberty children. he delight to put cat in oven; he

will lead to peculiar mental aberration.. .\ n en feebled throws knive, kick babie, and once helped to

will may lead to delinquency. . uch temporary traits drown a friend in a tub. he i a liar, very de truc-

may be immoral. They may. teal or commit as ault . tive, and in a chronic tate of rebellion again t

33-+ 'OUTH AFlUCA l\lEDICAL RECORD. f O\'EMllER 27.

-

a~lt.lOrity. ,'he i' Auent, cunning, vain a to per'onal named inqui iti"e, and great hope' are entertained of

appearance, but ha' committed every crime, from hi' future career. The anti-'ocial child. who brood

cruelty to murder. Take the in tance of a boy of alo f and re 'ent· ",ith almo t homicidal fury any

even. lie ",a' an xpert thief at three year'; he attempt at interference. i' a philo 'opher nur .in.". g:n;~t

et fire to a h u'e at four, an act of arson involvin idea or maturin CT ome altrui,tic 'cheme. 1 hi' I'

the d ath of hi' mother. lIe \\'a an incorri ible the ob tacle tn a complete tati·tical lIrvey. For

incendiari t at eight. Phy'ically he wa 'ounel, and tho'c e"en uperficially imere ted in the matter, fur-

in manner affable and c urteous. .·ome of the'e ther arCTumem 'hould be uperAuou to cOll\'ince them

children develop "agrant tendencies. ha"ing an in- of the appalling nature of thi problem. and the in-

. tinctive hatred of re'traint. e:pecially school. 'uch evitable menace it con'titute to the future of an)'

imbecile, before th ir hi. tor\'. antecedents. ant; con- race. A nation not ",holly deprived of 'ome racial

dition of life are inve. tigated, are the terror of l_:'idc will look the e fact in the ,fa~c, ",ith coura~e.

educational in titute:. Teachers ea'ii" notice that and l11ust ha"e the re\\'anl of an 1I1nlllte career dl '-

the child i di trait. indifferent. bad-ten{pered. do\\'n- tingui hed by moral, mental, and spiritual triumph'.

right \vicked. If puni hed they often di appear, and The pu illanimou. people accu tomed to take. th.c

are later found in a ylum, prison, or among the lea t line of re'i tance can only repre ent an und1CTlll-

inebriate and pro titute . Needles to ay. the fied future unredeemed by the deed that in pire.

ordinary school boy or CTir! is morally poisoned by and indifferent to that biological fitne that enabled

Hch conti uity, and the whole proCTre of a cia i their ance ·tor to regi ter their deed in tradition and

completely retarded by one uch individual. hi tory.

hinted above, the ign of de eneracy are often hidden

fram an unpracti ed eye. Talent may be on the ur- THE I ROULDI OF eTHER CUl:. 'TRI£',

face, but on a deeper view \\'e fim\ the \1 ual weak Thi' problem fir t tirred the con cience of

will, the curiou lack of moral en e. judgment and I:~:manity 70 year' ago. The French chool took the

elf-control. celebrated London patholoCTist 'ay : lead in the humane attempt to remove the mark of

nsound pedigree may ho\\' us ucce ful bu i- the bea t from the forehead of the imbecile. In

ne' men, but the avarice and moral CTuile \\'hich France the teaching of 'equin mark a 1 epoch in the

made them pillar of 'ociet ma" come out in the hi tor), of the ·ubject. (;ermany and '",itzerland

next generation a marked mental defect or tendency rapidly follo\\'ed the good example. equin trlH;k

to crime.' Thi may border on a gospel of pe im- the appropriate chord by hi ph)' iological method

i m. cience. however. can onl\, ate fact.. and of training, The education of the en-e mu t pre-

",hile re pectin CT healthy entiment. cannot allo\\ it to cede the education 0 f the mind, England. timulated

dominate eriou' il1\'e tigations. It i our duty to by the Frenchman. grappled \\'ith the que tion at the

think of civic ",orth and racial integrity. and to help I~ar! wood A.ylum and the Ea tern ountie ylum

the evolution of the latter to the highe t po ible :1t Colche ter. ,merica. impres ed by the gravity of

pitch. the po ition, faced the problem courageou Iy.

Sir Thomas Galton, one who devoted hi li re to :\'[a achusett had already before I, ~) appointed

the improvement of the race. had to confe that our Commi ioners to inve tigate and report on the sub-

human civilised tack is far more weakly throuCTh jcc. In I .- I an experimental chool ",as tarted in

congenital imperfection than any other specie of ~e\\' York. which later became the. tate \ ylum at

animal, wild or dome tic. In Johannesburg, the Syracu e. More than 60 year ago the American

'hildren's Aid ociety is conducting a most valuable sized up the ituation fairly accurately, They con-

inve tigation into this problem of the feeble-minded fc~ ed the frailty of the foundation on which to

child. Thi ociety i anticipating the Government build. and laid tre on the manual a again t tbe

in identi fying and bringing to light case u pected literary value of training. The merican al 0 earl."

of moral or mental infirmity. \\'e are informed that recogni ed the nece ity of permanent cu todial in-

over 200 already exist in' the \\'it\\'ater rand area, stitutions. a 0 few of the e victims can ever exp{'cl

;.Jow \\'e know frOI11 bitter experience that thi num- to cope \\'ith the everyday environmen , ha

ber hardly repre ent half the total, .ince the majority at present .'T training in titute .

of high-grade imbecile and ome other type e. cape The Roval Commi.. ion that visited .-\merica a fe\\

detection. mong the mi,Idle and upper cia's thr. e years aCTO' \\'as much impres 'ed by th con picuou'

children are, on the "'hole, protected and creened, 'ucce. of the indu trial and farm colonic. l\Iany of

thu avoiding any inqui ition or interference, In the inmates or labourers were engaged in hiCThly

thi connection uper tition and prejudice . till re- technical and lucrative pur:uits. although their

main rampant. In making a .cientific inquiry one is literarY attainmenb were practically nil.

baulked at the very out et. ~[ost parents take e,'ery (;ermany and :candinavia ha,'e practically di,tin-

precaution to conceal mental def ct in thei'r children. /!uished them.. eh·e~ in their training of the imbecile.

The adde t feature in the matter. however. is the Fi fteen years ag-o (;ermal1\' had :;2 11 ilf-schulen-in

parent' lack of discrimination and their ignorance 1n may be

come "'ith an impartial mind to the examination. bright and affable, and a few minute later prove

Preconceived notion will introduce fallacie. \ \ e a dangerous de perado. Probationary period alone

mu t encourage the child and get down to hi mental can decide the i ue in certain ca e. Having then

level. 'Ye know that a normal child of four know determined the child' tandard, we tart his training,

whether he is a boy or a girl. He can recogni e and peciali ing in a manner uitable and, perhap . pro-

P?int out familiar objects. He can repeat three fitable for the individual.

different figure. He can compare lines and decide It i hardly nece ary to say that in all these pre-

which i the longer. Let u again, for example, take liminarie teachers, parents, and doctor mu t co-

rhe age of ix. Youak the child (1) whether it is operate. Teachers e pecially hould take the respon-

morning or afternoon; (2) you a k him what i a sibility of weeding out uch children a are vi ibly

knife, Cl table, a chair, a hor e. Re pon e may be backward. A medical certificate will tate that uch

nil, or ~le may repeat your que.tion, or by ge ture a child unable to compete with normal children will

indicate the object; (3) \\"hat do you do with a till progre under a Ttem of pecial in truction.

knife? (Thi i a definition in term of u e); (4) Pathologically. we at the beginning recoglli e a funda-

De cription (thi i a definition better than u e. I. A mental truth. Thc idiot' brain, on account of thc

hor e i. an animal with four leg." Up to the age of ab ence of association tract. is not adapted for

ix all normal children can define by u e. De crip- ab tract thought. Dr. Goddard, 0 f ew York, puts

tion i for a later age); (5) Execution of three it thus: .. The defective ha no power of con tructive

imultaneous commi ions: "Do you see thi key; imagination." (He can only reproduce images of

put it on that chai r. hut the door, and bring me the things seen.) Thi ac ount for the fact that this

bo-x on the chair." t ix year. children arc able cia cannot adapt themseh'es to ne\\' ituations. The

to execute them; (6) k the child to put,'hi right latter involve creative imao-ination. They have none.

hand on hi left ear' (7) .iE thetic compari on. You hence their lack of judo-ment and COtnmon- en e. For

how the pupil ix head of women. ome pretty, example, you. ay to an imbecile," man walk in

other deficient in bcauty. Let him point out which the park.' He uddenly top terrified; he run to

is the prettier. t ix they can do 0 correctly; at the neare t police tati nand .ay he ha. een hang-

later ao-e one te ts their general comprehen ion, ing from the limb of a tree-I. \\"hat~' ., leaf,"

You get idea of right and wrong di criminated; ay the imbecile. He cannot Pllt image. together

NOVDlDER 27. SOUTH AFRTC i\JEDIC L RECORD. 337





and form a ne\\' picture. For this rea: n \\'e sec the muscle. are the preliminary duties of the teacher.

~triking importance of teaching them simple things. .\ d fective ha no control over his llIuscles. lie

i.c.. training them ill the concrete. \ \'e must abandon cannot 'hut hi. eye. and put ou his tongue. \\'hen

tradition and apply only verified psychological truths. thi: task i' completed children must learn to do

Training- b~fore the seventh year i. not de. irable. things. That must be encouraged in action. having

:\Iodem authorities agree with ·h.ousseau that child- a purpose. n important truth to remember is that

hood hould be pmlonged. A child mu. t be fed n such children work better together. \Yordsworth

repos~. and protected from incitements to pre- \\'orcl Confederate' strike the right key. Rhythm

.C





cocity. ndue timuli may lead.to insanin' or back- appeals to mo. t children, both normal and abnormal.

ward lap e. Froebel" ideas of play. nat'ure stud\'. It also serve. to fix th att ntion. which i. a mo t

gardening. keeping of animal:. are ail to be strongiy difficult faculty to control. The love of harmony.

recommended to all uch children. -'ome of Rou.- even in the poore t imbecile. serves a a valuable

seau's dicta (of IS0 years ago) are specially appli- a\'enue to the teaching- of mu ic and dancing. 1any

cabl~ to cl:.:f~ctive children. Exercise the boy's body.

of the.e are pa .ionately fond of mu. ic. A great

~11 sen.e-, hIs organ, hi rength. and keep hi mind number learn to play instruments. Other, join choir.

mdolent a' long a po ible.He insi t on the tra in- \\'ith alacrity. All this i. compatible with a complete

ing of mu cle . and nerve', and the external . en e . ignorance of the three R'.. ensorial training is the

Children are to be bribed to run, leap, climb, balance next important ta k of the teacher. This i true

them elves, and move heavy objects. There must physiological education. The. ense of touch must he

de\'eloped; objects rough and smooth; things warm

be no examination.. no learning by heart, no verbal

and cold mu t be di,tinguished. The visual func-

exp~'e ion of knowledge. ,. Emile." says Rousseau.

" wdl not chatter. He \\·ill act. Book are only tions, needle's to repeat. are of immense importance.

sources of misery." Ithough the author of "Tile

It wa- tor, magi trate.. courts and institution,. Our iuclg-e~

lishing a complete indexed collcction of O"eneak)C"ical and magi trates mu t discard the archaic methods

hi torie·. The main work i the invc tigation "'into' 11. ually adopted. Like good pedant.. they wi,.;h to

law of inheritance in human beings and their applica- "uit the puni:--hment to the crime. ign rinO" all the

tion to eugenics. It offers free of charge advicc tu g-enetic and other factors previously spoken 0 f.

persons about to marry. Naturally a va't deal of Their hurried diagno,.;c are nothin CT but cata,.;trophes.

information exi""ts, ea ily procurable. In London. ,'ir Thc law judges humanity by precedent. Two-third:

f. Galton not only fO~lI1ded, but bequeathed gener- of our criminab are mentalh' defective. "et the law.

ou Iy to a Eugenic Laboratory at Univer ity College. like a mechanical machine, grinds out it,.; sentences.

Calton rold u that the world i b ginning to realise ~olomon dccided a famous case accor
that the life of the. individual i. but a prolongation of hlOlVle
that of hi. ancestry. The life historics of your fore- eaten ,·olume,.; for precedent--. ff people wish to

father are propilctic of your 0\\"11 de. tiny. Such arc devise laws the,· must ,.tu(h· mankind. which i,.; thc

suit;rble to encourage or warn 1 s. Tf therc bc such a chief study of all. (;er1naOny ha,.; givcn Europe a

thing a:-. a natural hirthriO"ht. 1 can conceivc of ";lllendi<1 example in this particular matter. .'rienli-

nllthing supcrior to the right of the child to be in- . fic men have ..,ucrcc
i rmed, at 'ir:t by proxy and afterwards per-onally, ~runich, that ~rec 'a of the mcntal ,tudent, has ap-

34° OUTH A hRl A MEDICAL RECORD. NOVEMBER 27·





plied it· knowledge of mental di ea e to the criminal a point on "'hich mo t authoritie have concentrated.

procedure in that city. Even the poor policeman The e children are (a 0 often reiterated) the off-

receiYe a trainin a in morbid p ychology. A cliniqu pring of mentally abnormal ~tock '. II family

ha been opened for offender'. :-\ writer, comment- hi torie make thi confirmativc. The young criminal,

ing on thi , 'ays: .. The u ual method of court pro- a Lambroso taught, i only a mani fe tation of

cedure. the abominabl exaltation of the jury Y'- degeneracy. An examination of the actual brain

tem, the u e of ex-parte profe ional witnes e. all po t-mortem prove thi.

ob truct the good relation hip bet\"een the psycholo- Dr. ~lartin Barr, whom I haye quoted before, ays

gi t, the court, the parent and the medico." Thi eloquently: ,. The recognition of the moral imbecile

·tatement i pecially applicable to ]ohanne burg. -hi lifelong protection again t the horror of

Let the'e different per~onalitie co-operate, and there criminal procedure-mu t be insisted on, in the namc

will be till a dawn in the gloom that envelope the of 'cience, economic, ociology, the home, and all

juvenile offender. In ome parL of America juvenile that man hold dear. We must preach in and out of

court· have establi hed a department of diagno is ea on that the health . tatus of the nation depends

under the charge of a trained ph)' ician. ,\11 cases upon the 'egregation of thi perniciou element, i.e.)

pa s here before eeing the judge. This is a great the gathering of the e unfortunates into colonie

mile tone in the march of hone t endeavour. under the care of expert. Here, protected and

trained to self- upport, they might live out their

PECTAL Cl-IOOL AND COLONIE . brief day unharmed by the ignominy and the

fter all that has been aid, it 'eems uperfluous tlh11l and ill, the world would bring. If it requires

to ask for pecial chools and industrial colonie for genius to vitali e forlorn hope uch aenius has

all cia e of mental defective. The e place not been found in Europe and the -nited tate of

only have the virtue of egregation. but they act a . merica."

prophylactic' to crime and untold misery. In carry- Regardin a other remedial mea 'ure , we might call

Ing- out such cheme. Government could easily take attention to the regulation of marriage. Apart from

a model the numerou in titute of thi nature di eminating good adYice, 'ociety and the law hould

pread over Europe and America. You here tackle di couraae the marriaae of tho e likely to ha "e de-

both the heredity and environmental a pect of the generated off pring. v"e curtail the liberty of a

m~tt~r. All defective are extremely usceptible to brigand, \\-e put in jail a petty thief. but \\-e actually

evIl ll1fluence , and. deprived of improper timulant.. give pri"ilege to the chief a as in of society, the

many of the-e undesirable tendencie' \\'ill wither at murderer of future generation. .. 'Ye foster the

the root. In such institute (permanent cu todial) good-for-nothing at the expen e of the good"

better opportunitie exist for directing moral con- ( pencer).

duct, e pecially in habit of clean line , regularity. The much-abu ed l\Iormon have devi ed the mo·t

courte ")', etc. Being toaether. the e children timu- 'tringent laws and penalties to protect their com-

late each other. and a s rt of rhythm in work and munity against contagious di ea e. Thi is in 'trange

play i induced. 'Ye are quite antagoni tic to board- contra t to peoples who hold the canon of morality

ing out y tem or family auardianship. Reaardina

" ,., ,., high in theory, but remain ignorant, or totally in-

co Iollle , 'ome wntcr have used the words '. model different to the e preventable diseases that produce

village," and consider that uch place could ea ilr a feetal mortality of 60 per cent., and a fcetal mor-

be made elf- upportin a . Controlling authorities iil bidity of 80 per cent., i.e.) children with arave defect.

the hape of tatutory ommittees coult! be arranged So much for ~Iormon morality and those that view

by overnment. The actual directorate of uch it with piou indignation.

colonies .can be settled without difficulty, and need Regarding people with epilepsy or di'order of

not detalll u here. .\ll these argument. naturally mind, the la'" hould be entitled to forbid marriage.

involve and point to the que tion of segregation. The education of the public is one of the greate't

. part f~om elwenic . look at the immediate and phy- desiderata. There would be apart from remote con-

,-Ical.. m1 ery we fore tall. Take the question of 'equence, le s divorce if people inquired partially

IllegItimacy alone. It ha. been e timated by an emi- into the racial antecedent of those they wi h to

nent authority that the proportion of mental defec- marry. In .--\merica education and la,Ys have proved

tives among mother of illegitimate children i as most efficacious hitherto, and urely America i the

high a 40 per cent. In \\'orkhou. e, the a"eraa of "'orld': areate t democracy. One 0 f the greate t

mental defect i -0 per cent. ~J ost imbecile mothers obstacles to ach'ance ha. been in the pa t the pro-

are, of cour e, at large. and the histon' of indi"idual "crbial but extremely obstinate. \nalo- axon prudery.

ca e i too reyoltin a for publication. - To see this exemplified up to the hilt, one has only

It mu t be al 0 recollected that on an averaae the to make an attempt to di cu .- the ocial evil. Here

children of imbecile mothers are more numerou~ than i a racial poison of the fir t magnitude; yet, ay the

tho e of thinking. re. pon. ible people. Thi is one of . \nglo-~axon ... i norance i. innocence." If medi al

the IT~O t frightful features ill a deplorable sociol0gi- men point to appalling. tati tic., "You are woundin a

cal pIcture. 'hat state~men with a conscience. or our susceptibilitie. ," say the hadbands of . ociety.

even without one, can acord to ignore it? The seare- .\merica ha long. ince tarted to moult her hypo-

gat ion of the moral imbecilc. or habitual criminat i crite. Even in alt Lake City, hygiene and re pect

UVEM LlER 27. OUT1-1 AFRICA M.E:bIC" L RE ORb. 3-ft



for biological ethic- stand higher than in any city In conclu ion of a 10n
in the world. There they have long ago di covered "

ject, it i u eflll to quote Or. Tredgold . wons. I

that knowledge o~ evil i one of the greatest motive _'peaking of the duties of indi~'idu~1 ,he ay," B~lt

power for prevention. They have seen the cra the medical profe- ion ha a till higher duty.. It I

ab urdity of making the notification of mump and to our profession, that the . tate looks for advise. re-

measle an act of medical heroism. whilst thru ting garding the future health of it- citizens. I ~o.n lder

in the background the greatest ingl peril of our it to be at once our privile
social life. We must educate the public con "Lience peak on this ubject of the propa
and drag this question into the light of full di. cu - minally unnt in clear and unmi takabl ten11 , and

sion. Secrecy is no remedy for suppre ing the mo t so help form the public con cie~lce. -0 long. a we

terrible scourge of our day. VVe mu. t teach people raise no voice against the marnage of the dl ea e9.

the heinou ne , the contemptibility of sowing their the degenerate, the habitual criminal, and the chroniC

wild oat in respectable field .. pauper, and are willing to educate. feed. clothe, and

pension as many offspring a the e can produce; 0

-lany factors in OUr ocial sy tem are fal e, and long as legi lation i permitte(~ a free hal~d. ~o do all

promote the very tendencie we are trying to eradi- to dimini h parental and oClal re pon Iblltty. and

cate. The idiotic way in which the modern child is . trike at the very root of any incentive to labour:

brought up, his profound snobbishness, the gratifica- so long as our law-maker and so-called philanthrop-

tion of every epicurean ta te, are all at the root of ist. are blind to the folly of tran ferring the burden

the exual problem. Take the intolerable divorce following carele ness. improvidence, drunkenl1e s,

law in many countrie : the legal and sentimental and unlimited. eln hnes from the houlder of tho e

obstructions to fair divorce are among the main upon whom they hould rightly fall, to the thrifty

source of moral infection and of absolute depravity. and indu triou member:: then, 0 long will the:c

As most of the conventional archaic maxim are cia se' and these t!ualities continue to be propagated,

obstinately adhered to, the result i that people carry and their numerical ascendency i nothing but a

on the bu iness of matrimony without the official matter of time."

·tamp.

To arrive at the truth one might almo t, without

It might be a ked what ha thi to do with im- h itation, take the advice John Hunter. the great

becility? " va t deal," I reply. 'rhe e contagiou pathologist and urgeon. gave to Jenner. the hero of

diseases are clo ely related to special forms of in- \'accination: <. Don't think. inve tigate.·' .\ man may

-anity and paralysis. They are related to idiocy. all think in continents yet achieve nothin
forms of. nervous diseases, premature degeneration,

and naturally are causative of great racial deteriora-

tions. In England, unfortunately for progre s, an

excellent l\lental Deficiency Bill was ~horn of its ~n.crtaze in 'fire uf 'llll'ug.s.

-trength by the usual hysterical outcry which elimin-

ated a clau e placing a re triction on the' propagation The enormous increa e in the price of drug~ ha

of the unfit. :111 important bearing upon the profession in thi

Finally, we cannot avoid touching the remedial country, where the great majority are. 0 f neces.,ity,

measure of a exuali ation. We do not intend going di 'pen -ing practitioner. and ::l specially direct con-

into any detail of thi . but we content ourselve by nection with the action of the Government in aboli 'h-

pointing to \merican precedent, which have proved ing the mall drug allowances to Di triet urgeons.

highly successful. It mu t be legali ed, not as a In order to ha\'e reliable figure on thi point. we

penalty, but a remedial mea ure, preventing crimc have, by the kindness of Heyne', ~lathew, Ltd" a

and tending to the future comfort of the defective. repre entati ve fi I'm. been fa \'oured with approximate

It is imply a means of race pre ervation, and, as percentage increa e in the pric s 0 f a certa in number

Barr well aid, will be regarded by the public a. a of drug. in common use, The figure refer to the

quarantine-a mere protection against ill. increa e. on this side. bet\\'een July, 1914, and

No\'ember, 1~)I 5:-

ome of the \merican 'tate have awarded heavy Phenacetin .. .. 1.000 per cent.

punishment against any marriage violating the ethic ·\cid .\ceto . al. 1,200

of biology. The moral and educational effect of e\'en ·'oda , alicyl. [.200 "

a imple di cu si on on ihi question i incalculable. ~Iaglles . ·ulph. " 100

If we can raise up a public con cience, law. may be Bromide fuo

superfluou and inadvi able. Few educated men or Ri muth. ~o

women in \merica to-day marry without
vice in the proper quarter. A broken engagement. Quinine .. , . ro

although intere ting in the law court. i not half 0 ~ rerclI riaJ 100

:erious as an imbecile child or a serie of off prin
with varietie. of nervous di. order. ·\cid Carholic .. ,. .. .. 100