CRIME WAVE STUDY

Hokitika Guardian, 29 May 1928, Page 3

CRIME WAVE STUDY

A considerable part of two million dollars available for crime wave study by the great New York. Medical Centre, is to be expended to determine if addiction to cigarettes and cocktails by the modern mother .does not result in blunted brains for her children. Experts of the Neurological Institute of the Medical Centre do not believe that all men are horn free and equal. Tiny brains are malformed in the making, they are convinced, and the results are “ black sheep,” wastrels, misfits, Leopolds and Hickmans. A poison squad of chimpanzees and other high apes is. to bo formed for testing pre-natal drug and bacterial infection theories in Florida or in Cuba, it was made known by tbe Centre’s joint administrative board. In the ape colony, the anthropoid mothers arc to lie debased in the interests of science with alcohol, tobacco, headache medicines, lead, arsenic, inercurv, bromides and iodides.

The neurologists of tlio organisation will then carefully observe the effect of mother chimpanzee’s dissipation on tho little chimps that are born to her. Deviation from the normal will he noted earefuly, and conclusions drawn as to the effects of the mother’s particular addiction. To assist in the observations of deviation from the normal, the neurologists will attempt to establish also just what tho standard of normal behaviour is for a normal infant. Dr Tilney is one of the most enthusiastic delvers into pre-natal influences of drugs and diseases. “Many of those who suffer maladjustment do so through no fault of their own,” he said. “They <lo so because the brain is blighted in the making. The resultant effect may lie much or little. The consequence is inevitable. The path of life of these poor unfortunates leads to distress, often to despair, often to destruction. Their delinquencies may take extreme form as in the case of Hickman, a Leopold, or a T.oeb. But the lesser degrees of delinquency are included as well. These delinquencies do not always appear in the garb of tbe outright criminal. Wc arc familiar with many others, such as tbe family black sheep, incorrigible and vagrant, tlio weakling, waster, and ne’er-do-well.” The scientific ape colony will not only 1,0 tested for nicotine, alcohol and drug effects on the offspring, but for infectious diseases, such as tonsilitis, and for diet.