UNFIT CHILDREN.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1922, Page 5

UNFIT CHILDREN.

DANGER FROM EPILEPTICS. DRASTIC REMEDY ADVISED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. At the North Canterbury Hospital Board’s meeting to-day, Mr. F. Horrell quoted a London cablegram giving Mr. Justice Roche’s comments regarding epileptics, and went on to say that judging by his experience as a member of the Benevolent Committee a lot of children were being brought into the world who would be better unborn. They were a menace to society, and he thought the matter should be gone into thoroughly by the medical profession. Dr. P. C. Fenwick said the judge had said doctors could do a great deal of good, but they could not carry out the operations suggested unless they were given full legal power. At Burnham some years ago the late Mr. Seddon had signed a request to him that he should allow a boy to go to a hospital and be operated on. This was done with the boy’s consent. The operation, was painless, and the result was that the boy had been debarred from bringing degenerate children into the world. In giving his consent, Mr. Seddon had done a great thing. It was a pity in this beautiful country that degenerates were being allowed to pass on .their -failing to the nexc generation. Doctors cpuld do nothing unless the women of New Zealand voted them the power. The men had not taken the trouble. If the law would send to hospital for operation any man convicted of assault on children, the crime would vanish entirely after the first operation. Mr. W. E. Leadley moved that Die matter be referred to the hospital commottee with a view to making recommendations to the Government, not only in connection with epileptics, but in connection with people suffering from certain diseases. The motion was carried.

Mr. Justice Roche, in sentencing Charles Seymour, aged twenty-seven, and who is epileptic, to three years’ penal servitude for a woman in Hyde Park, said ho was sorry that all epileptics like Sevmour could not be admitted to an asylum, hut he would be treated according to his health. He thought the medical profession would perform a public service if they earnestly studied the feasibility of sterilising both men and women epileptics, instead of allowing them to propagate disease and crime.