Searchlights on Health: The Science of EugenicsJefferis, B. G. (Benjamin Grant)
Philosophy
Searchlights on Health: The Science of Eugenics
Jefferis, B. G. (Benjamin Grant)
Eugenics; Hygiene; Marriage; Medicine, Popular; Sexual ethics
12. REV. H.R. HAWEIS.--"Until it is thought a disgrace in every rank
of society, from top to bottom of social scale, to bring into the
world more children than you are able to provide for, the poor man's
home, at least, must often be a purgatory--his children dinnerless,
his wife a beggar--himself too often drunk--here, then, are the real
remedies: first, control the family growth according to the family
means of support."
13. MONTAGUE COOKSON.--"The limitation of the number of the family--is
as much the duty of married persons as the observance of chastity is
the duty of those that are unmarried."
14. JOHN STUART MILL.--"Every one has aright to live. We will suppose
this granted. But no one has a right to bring children into life to
be supported by other people. Whoever means to stand upon the first
of these rights must renounce all pretension to the last. Little
improvement can be expected in morality until the production of a
large family is regarded in the same light as drunkenness or any other
physical excess."
15. DR. T.D. NICHOLLS.--"In the present social state, men and women
should refrain from having children unless they see a reasonable
prospect of giving them suitable nurture and education."
16. REV. M.J. SAVAGE.--"Some means ought to be provided for checking
the birth of sickly children."
17. DR. STOCKHAM.--"Thoughtful minds must acknowledge the great wrong
done when children are begotten under adverse conditions. Women must
learn the laws of life so as to protect themselves, and not be the
means of bringing sin-cursed, diseased children into the world. The
remedy is in the prevention of pregnancy, not in producing abortion."
* * * * *
SMALL FAMILIES AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RACE.
1. MARRIED PEOPLE MUST DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES.--It is the fashion of
those who marry nowadays to have few children, often none. Of course
this is a matter which married people must decide for themselves. As
is stated in an earlier chapter, sometimes this policy is the wisest
that can be pursued.
2. Diseased people who are likely to beget only a sickly offspring,
may follow this course, and so may thieves, rascals, vagabonds, insane
and drunken persons, and all those who are likely to bring into the
world beings that ought not to be here. But why so many well-to-do
folks should pursue a policy adapted only to paupers and criminals,
is not easy to explain. Why marry at all if not to found a family that
shall live to bless and make glad the earth after father and mother
are gone? It is not wise to rear too many children, nor is it wise to
have too few. Properly brought up, they will make home a delight, and
parents happy.
[Illustration: A WELL NOURISHED CHILD.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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