MENTAL DEGENERATES.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17701, 1 March 1923, Page 5

MENTAL DEGENERATES.

THEI& TREATMENT URGED. discussion at hospital BOARD. The question of the sterilisation of mental degenerates and epileptics was considered at yesterday's meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board,■when the matter was introduced by Dr. P. C. Fenwick, chairman of the Hospital Committee which had been asked at a previous meeting to bring down a special report relating to the subject. Dr. Fenwick reported to the committee that, at the last meeting of the Board, Mr Horrell had read an extract from a cable message, which stated: — Mr Justice Roche, in sentencing a man, aged 27, who is an epileptic, to three years' penal servitude for attacking. and "inflicting a knife wound on a woman in Hyde Park, said that he was. sorry for all epileptics. The prisoner could nst be admitted to an asylum, but would be treated according to his health. ' He thought that the medical profession would perform a public service if it earnestly studied the feasibility of. sterilising both men »and women epileptics, instead of allowing them to propagate disease and crime." The United States had taken the_ problem seriously, reported Dr. Fen wick. After dotailing the operations necessitated by the sterilisation or de-sexualisation of patients, Dr. Fenwiek proceeded to state that the problem of the mental degenorate was one of the utmost importance to every nation. In with its small population and healthy climate, it would seem to be a national crime to allow the future generation to be born under a handicap of ill- | health or low mentality if, by any rational and humane methods, this could be averted. It /was necessary for all who cared for New Zealand and its future to face facts. We are carefully conserving the life of every mental degenerate, lunatic, epileptic, deafmute, or person affected .with incurable disease. This was no doubt right, and our duty to humanity, but we were permitting these unfortunate people to increase and multiply, and to hand down to future generations the dreadful burdens of heredity disease, without the. slightest attempt to save our country from a degenerating population. We were surely justified on the grounds of humanity, apart from those of political economy, • in preventing this mistake. The Official Year Book for 1920 gave the following figures:— The total admissions .to mental hospitals; during HJJ2O numbered 873. Among : ..the causes : assigned for the onset of insanity were: congenital, 116hered--84; epilepsy, ; 28; Byphilis, 29. That meant that, in 1920, ; persons met the destiny brought upon them by their parents, and' 84 became insane because 'of some hereditary i-nuse. In addition admitted suffering from epilepsy, and 20 from the effects of syphilis, a preventiblo disease. In 1920 the total number of persons under oversight, care, or control was 5617. -The number discharged as recovered was 310. It was not unreasonable to suggest that, from the 310 discharged patients,, a certain number of children-would be born. In addition to the persons actually committed to the care of our mental hospitals, there were a certain number of sub-standard persons who did not como urider the care of mental specialists. " These ■ sub-standard persons were a danger to the future race. They might marry, and their descend-, ants would probably be of low; mentality, who might swell the ranks of . the criminal or lunatic classes. It appeared to him that there ara threrqourses which might be adopted with 1 great benefit to the succeeding generations. ./

1. Before ; marriage, both contracting parties should be obliged to produce evidence of health/ Also the parents of the contracting parties should provide a certificate that there was no family tendency to, epilepsy or insanbelieved, that many unhappy riiarriages would be avoided the law, refused to legalise any marriage without the production of a health certificate, and certainly' there would be fevVer unfortunate children condemned to illhealth,from .their earliest, years. _ 2. Persons who had been committed to a'mental hospital and were about to be discharged, on probation, ,or recovered, should hot be permitted to feturn to family life without the sanction of a committee of experts. This committee should have the power of recommending sterilisation before the, patient was released. '•* 3. Any person convicted of an assault upon a child should be sent to hospital for operation. • The class of persons who were most prdne to this crime were mental degenerates, and he believed that operation on these-cases would not only prevent, a second conviction, but would act as a most successful deterrent to others. THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT.: The committee, in its report to the -Board, stated that it had met twice, and a sub-committee had . also sat. 'Those who attended. other than the members, of the committee, and who gave their opinions with regard to the matter, were:—-Dr. Chilton, Professor of Biology; Dr. Crosby, Sunnyside i Mental Hospital; Dr. Pox, Medical •Superintendent of the Hospital; Dr. J. Guthrie, chairman, honorary staff of Wnqnital: Dr. . Sandston; Dr r Tei ford Medical Officer of Health; Bey. JYRule (connected with the social ser vice, Presbyterian 9^ ur . e . ® e T" Wftvflll (connected with the social ser 5 dS - «< 'i T rrchev (late manager Buraham Indua .SSFSeOOI ** Ihan official visitor, Addwgton GaoThe following is a Biumnary of some of thtf-opinions expressed : . > fSlSnded. She also, stated that +h« female degenerate was as great a thl male Both men and women should be sterilised or de-sexual-keci where the existed. The PrirT s Boardiiad advocated in the case ot Sin sexual crimes similar measures to those proposed in the report, but no action had U taken. She .was of opinion, that the public required educating up to the proposals. and her experience suggested that numy, men would welcome an if the doctors oould heal. their storms of seximpulse by it. c It.was not only the feeble-minded that required operation, but also those who t were oversexed. From the evidence these needed d«-sex-father than: sterilising only, in oriter wiat character might be helped in the individual as well as quality in the race- She was of opinion that operation would probably result in greater mental activity, better self-control, and cleaner desires. Fonugirla of the uncontrollable type, Te Oranga Home should certainly be reopened, with definite medical and psychological oversight. Its closing waa a bad blunder, ai> ne:rrW all women delinquents were "over eexed.> Many cases of moral infirmitx vete undoubtedly tbe result of the lack

of firm motherly control in the early training. , Mr Arc hey said he knew of several boys who were masturbators, and wno had cruel and evil tendenc:es, and were operated upon with •great success. After the operation they became strong lads, and it was shown that all lusttul desire censed. Two of those operates upon were killed in the war. _ The Rev. P. Revell said social worKers came into contact with many io w types of beings. He gavq several instances of epileptics and others where, in his opinion, sterilisation would be or immeasurable benefit. He referred to one case where the second generation were all inmates of the Mental Hospital. He was of opinion that'a board of medical men should determine whether a man, woman, or child saou a be sterilised. A jury of lnymen woul'l bo incapable of judging such cases. An appeal would best be made to a magi?trate. The Rev. F. Rule said that experience gained' in attending the Magistrate's Court morning by morning tor a number of years indicated that something ought to be done along the lim s suggested by Dr. Fen wick. It was surely not asking overmuch when we suggest that families com'ng before the Juvenile Court for committal to State, where it was self-evident that both parents and children are mental degenerates, that power be given to the .Magistrate to refer these wises to a board of experts who should consider the question. I>r. Chilton said he was decidedly of opinion that the prevention of reproduction by certain classes of persons -was highly desirable in the interests the nation. hut' the question was a difficult one, and perhaps the best means of improvement lay in the education of the public in the laws of heredity and kindred subjects. , I>rcstio legislation for which,the majority of the citizena were not prepaied might fail to produce the result desired. Dr. Crosby said they should recognise that the problem of dealing with the unfit' has been under consideration for centuries Finality in dealing with this problem -had been delayed because the tendencies of heredity are variable. By ensuring, through sterilisation, that no unfit 1 would be born, the State woiill lose the services of, others in the sanva family who might be fit. Before deciding that legislation enforcing sterilisation is necessary in New Ze land, t e fullest information regarding the otlur members of the families of the unfit individuals should be obtained: More precise information as to the working of the sterilisation laws in America w I necessary in order to answer the quo tions as-to (a) their effect upon ths size of the fit population in the various States, and their effect in decreasing til® number of the unfit, and (b) why they were repealed in one State and declared unconstitutional in another. With regard to Mr Justice Roche's suggestion that epileptics be sterilised, though contrary views wore "held, he was of opinion that it would be to the interest, of public welfare if sufferers from idiopathic epilepsy were rendered infertile at an early age.

Dt. Telford snid_ he considered it . n-coessary that an institution be estalv lishecl in the North and- South Islands respectively, as an adjunct to the mental hospitals' branch, nnd that epileptio« requiring considerable treatment arid imbeciles be admitted thereto. That if such an establishment were created, 'then such children as were found on the statement of the mother to be all-n-orniiLl. or deficient mentally, . could be sorted out and placed in such institutions. This /would preserve this type of patient from neglect and abuse, which ia at present sometimes detected, Again, dunngVtlie cuiTency of ,tua school years, others would be detected by the school medical officer and school nurses, and these could be dealt with in; a similar way before they bad an 7 possibility of committing any criminal offence. He' considered by. this ;meana •fully 80 per cent, of, these' patients would be rounded up. Th£-;.remnjniiig '2O per cent, would be liable to develop epilepsy at a later period of life, and perhaps, their condition- only _becomes manifest for the first tim> through some criminal sexual assaultBy; this' manna, a diminution"in this-' type of criminal would, reasonably be looked fcr. Again, regarding de-scxual-isation measures, he considered this a very serious measure to adopt for the control of this complaint—^confinement in an institution would seem to be the better course. Should . legislatiqn be : brought in to legalise de-sexualisa.tion, .then it must be exercised with the 'greatest caution, after full enquiry. Such, enquiry would be held before a board, consisting of a. stipendiary magistrate, vvlio should act in the capacity of chairman, two medical, men, and two lay people; He considered the magistrate as chairman desirable, owing to his\training in sifting evidence; he readily dissociating the relevant from the irrelevant observations of witnesses lender these circumstances, he considered that de-sexualisation would be carried out. only after the, most careful | enquiry, and then.with extieme rarity.

COMMITTEE'S DECISION. The Committee finally decided to recommend - the Board to ask the Government to bring down legislation covering the following Recommendations 1. The making of provision in the marriage laws that prior to the issue of a marriage license the contracting parties must a statutory declaration that they are free from transmissible diseases. 2. As to whether a tribunal of exports should not be sot up to considei each case before, discharge from a Mental Hospital ,to determine whether, prior to return to. family life," steps, should be taken by sterilisation or other means, to prevent re-production. (a) Where a Magistrate is satisfied that any person appearing before a Court isr*ia degenerate and in re-pro-duction is -a danger to the State, he may refer such cases to the tribunal | ifore-mentioned, to determine whether; in. operation for sterilisation should be performed. " (b) In the event of any person being convicted of an unnatural offence, the fudge shall refer the case to the tri- ; bunal afore-mentioned, which tribunal ■nav recommend the Judge to offer the offender the option of de-sexualisation, or an indeterminate sentence. (c). That an operation for de-sexual-isation shall be- performed on persons convicted of sexual offences against .'•hjldren. The Board was further recommended jo ask Government to open homes for voung girls of the uncontrollable type: nnd also tbot homes be established for feeble-minded adults. i THE BOARD'S OPINION.

Dr. Fenwiok, in bringing the matter forward, expressed the ho ( pe that some action would be takqn by. the Government on the lines urged in the report. He moved the adoption of the report. Mr W. E. Leadley, in seconding the adoption of the report, said that the matter, as presented to the Board, would form the basis of a discussion on the matter by ■ other bodies. He did not agree with afi the clauses in the report. Howevei-, he recognised that the Committee, in bruising forward such a report, was performing a service to the country. Mr S. Andrew stated that the report gave too much prominence to the'sterilisation, of the epileptic subject, but little attention had been given to education. With,, regard to offenoes against children, the report did not aim at the elimination of the cause jf the offence. , The Rev. -J. K.. Archor ' Baid he . disagreed with ' the first . recommenda/fcior>. - of the Committee entirely. , He did not think that the provision of a statutory oath of participants in mar-

s'iage would make the slightest difference. The oath did not make a deal of difference to evidence in Court cases. With regard to Mr Andrew's' suggestion regarding education, he said that more attention should be given to it in the sohools. 'Qver 60 per cent. of childrenleft sohools knowing nothing of sex relationship. School committees should give the matter more consideration. One fact which was dodged by most members of the medical profession in assigning cause for *jexunl aeireneracy was ascribing it to drinK. This was responsible for the majority of .eases of suoh degeneracy. •• Dr. Fenwick admitted that drink was responsible for. a great number of pexul offenees and degeneracy,-but he pointed but'that the peV-jons who committed such offences while under the influence of liquor, were pun.jshed just the drunken murderer was_ punished. With regard to the sterilisation of women. he said that medical men had consciences! and would not sterilise a female unless it absolutely I'iecessary. It -would make the thing into a farce if a Magistrate had to be 'con suited eaoh time. . The report was adopted-