MENTAL UNFITNESS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1933, Page 5

MENTAL UNFITNESS

BRITAIN’S BANGER

QUESTION OF STERILISATION.

iUn’ted Press Association—By Eleetri*

Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, October 19

Lord Horder, inaugurating postgraduate lectures at Hampstead H*osipkal, said that ;a national stocktaking produced some unpalatable facts. Britain, he said, was staggered during war dime to find that only one of every three of 'her rearuitg aged from (17 to 18 was perfectly sound. To-day one person in 120 was feebleminded, and one in two hundred was I insane. He s aidthat one in ten w:.s over-dull or over-sickly to be absorbed in industry. The nation was making

an enormous expenditure to eduoate and maintain these inefficients, but this w,as not as serious as the fact that future stock w&s being continually .'recruited therefrom.

He pointed oiit that the eugenic movement sought to operate voluntarily. 11l Advocating the sterilisation of mental defectives and of mental convalescents, and . also the sterilisation of the suffererg from trfitismissable defects, Lord Holder urged that genetics should be . taught to medical students, (reinforcing , doctors 1 knowledge of many .diseases, and also enabling them .properly to advise those ' contemplating marriage. ‘He feared, he said, that many doctors were still unable to give scientific- advice on contraception. !