MARRIAGE OF THE UNFIT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 7

MARRIAGE OF THE UNFIT.

A QUESTION TO BE FACED. ' By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyrieht Sydney,' September 10. Addressing tho Health Society on the question of the proposed maternity bonus, Dr. Arthur, M.L.A.,, declared that tho prevention of marriage between those able only to leave a heritage of disease to their offspring was within the realm of practical politics. They would have to sink a lot of foolish philanthropy and face the question. Touching upon the appalling amount of disease arising from impurity, Dr. Arthur said people were too much inclined to cloak facts and pretend they did not exist.

THE DOCTOR AS EUGENIST. The English papers to'hand this week contain much matter relating to eugenics and the Eugenics' Congress held • recently in London. An interesting aspect of eugenics was touched on by a medical man writing in the London "Telegraph." Probably, ho said,' there arc few medical monof wide experience who do not have to play the part of cugenist on occasion, and it is safe to say that in this country the high professional ideals which prevail have brought it about that tho doctors have not betrayed their trust in this respect. ' Thero can bo no more solemn moment in a practitioner's life than that in which he has to answer the momentous- questions: "Ought I to marry?" ;"Ought my son or daughter marry?"-under given circumstances. Advice to patients, or to parents, is not always acted upon, but there cannot bo many who dare brave the penalties of an unwise marriage in face of strong arguments to the contrary tactfully displayed by the family physician. There is all the difference between this friendly urging of a submission to ah unkind fate, and a harsh restriction of liberty by legal process. So that whilst, reviewed in the consulting-room, a policy of ruthless stigmatisation seems quite out of the question on humanitarian grounds, at the same time the physician can see a very greF.t field for the educational development of eugenic work in the medical schools. The better grounding of tho coming generation of medical ( men in'regard to the important question as to who should be considered unfit in this special connection, must inevitably lead to the further prevention of hereditary weaknesses through the medium of thojo tactful conversations between doctor and patient, or in family council, already referred to, conferences which have done •much in this direction in the past, and could do so much more in the future, without hurting the feelings of largo numbers of unfortunate sufferers. After all, no one knows better than tho family doctor to what extent a disease or deformity is likely to militate against the healthy well-being of tho next generation, and in any case restrictions of freedom in regard to marriage, and decisions as to "unfitness" from this point of view, must ultimately depend on medical certification. The delicate task of the doctor in- such matters will be greatly aided if tho cugenio educational movement bo simultaneously forwarded amongst tho lay public, so that it shall not bo open to anyone of average accomplishment to plead ignorance of the fact that sucb and such a course of lifo is detrimental to the interests of his progeny, or that indulgence in certain vice 3 in the present may bo of dire consequence to the health of children he may have in the future.