Abstracts of Papers Read at the First International Eugenics Congress: University of London, July, 1912International Eugenics Congress (1st : 1912 : London)
Science
Abstracts of Papers Read at the First International Eugenics Congress: University of London, July, 1912
International Eugenics Congress (1st : 1912 : London)
Eugenics -- Congresses
Sir Francis Galton has entitled Eugenics the new science having for
its object the study of the causes subject to social control which can
improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations, whether
physical or mental.
Eugenics, thus defined, is nothing else but "Education before
Procreation," which has been studied in France for a number of years,
and which constitutes the first part of child-culture, "a science
having for its object the search for information relative to the
reproduction, preservation, and improvement of the human species"([1]).
[Footnote 1: v. De la Puériculture in Revue Scientifique, 1897.]
The Congress ought then to have for its object to work for the
investigation of the conditions necessary to secure a favourable
procreation. Now, it appears that the word "Eugenics," from the
etymological point of view, does not characterise either explicitly
or sufficiently the proposed object, while the word "Eugénique," of
[Greek: gennaô], at once recalls to the mind the idea of a favourable
procreation([2]).
[Footnote 2: Besides, the word "Eugenics" recalls in France a chemical
term: eugenic-acid.]
It is part of the duty of our first principal sitting to lay down a
rule upon this point.
Certainly, biological, sociological, and historical researches, laws
and social customs regarded in their relations with the science of
Eugenics, are necessary and will undoubtedly result in extremely
interesting data, but from now it is above all things urgent to
establish and proclaim eugenic principles.
Researches relating to physiological heredity and pathological heredity
ought to be pursued without interruption, but it is necessary to make
known as soon as possible to the masses of the people the individual
conditions, fully understood, which alone permit a favourable and
healthy procreation. In a word, it is necessary, by every means and
as soon as possible, to organise a great movement in order to show
to the greatest number of human beings the absolute necessity for a
conscientious, _i.e._, an enlightened procreation. We must bravely
approach the civilising of _the reproductive instinct_, which alone
has remained in a barbarous state amongst all the so-called civilised
nations from the earliest times.
Then only, when societies have fulfilled this duty, will they have the
right to investigate what they ought and can effect against those for
whom future offspring would be recognised as fatally disastrous.
Finally, it is fully understood that researches relating to selection
in the human species must be pursued in a parallel manner, as is now
done with such fruitful results for animals and vegetables in Genetics,
and in throwing light upon the constantly increasing conquests of this
other science.
PRACTICAL ORGANIZATION OF EUGENIC ACTION.
(Abstract.)
By Dr. Louis Querton,
_Professor at the University of Brussels._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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