THE FAMILY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 30, 5 February 1925, Page 7

THE FAMILY

IMPROVEP STATUS*

GREAT IMPORTANCE OF BETTER

ENVIRONMENT

URGED BY COMMITTEE ON • MENTAL DEFECTIVES.

One of the most interesting chapters in the comprehensive and valuable report of the Committee of Inquiry into mental defectives and sexual offenders is that dealing with heredity and euvironment. It is a section which will be read with interest by all classes of the community. ( The far-reaching etr fects of improved environment on children are especially emphasised.

"The committee feels bound," states the report, "to refer to the great strides •made during the last half-century towards establishing laws- and theories of genetics and heredity, Unfortunately, ternw such as the 'integrity of the germ plasm,' a.nd 'the Mendelian Law," while marking great advances in ' biological thought and science, have become too much associated in the public mind with a depressing and fatalistic notion that heredity determines everything, and that environment can play but a very insignjflcant part jn human evolution, development, and progress—physical, mental, or moral. fauch, of course, is no{ the cijse 1. "In ultimate prigin, all evolution and all herecjity is the outcome, summation, and expression of the effects of environmental^ influences acting on the whole organism unper certain laws of transmission. The laws of heredity, though 3?- yet only; partially determined, are already sujSciently ascertained to prove for practical purposes that in order tq promote integration and further progress in huma.il evolution- not disintegration and' degeneratipnr-rfcwo things are essential and complementary. On the one hand, .we.must do' everything' possible in the direction of improving; the nutrition, health, _enyirqnnient, conditions of life, and habits of the community • and, on the. qtlier hand,; we must promote and enppurage parenthopd on the part of the best 4'|d stablest stocks, and do everything in our 'power to discourage, or iji extreme cases even to prevent prqUferation of. unfit ajid degenerate strains.

FIRST DUTY QF THE STATE. , "We shall now revert for the moment to the environmental factor. The first, most-pressing, and immediate practical duty^ of the Government and the community is to spare no pains to improve the status and environment of the family sp as to promote the highest attainable standard of physical, mental, and moral nealth tor. the new generation, already in our midst, or Wind to, arrive in the uourse of the next few years. : "It is becoming more and more widely recognised that by due attention to prenatal and post-natal care, and to mother aod child, an infinity of good cau be done; indeed, a great deal is already ui^der way in this direction throughout the Dominion. But the committee is satisfied that much moje ought to be ! done to ensure for children of tl-e preschool school ages more generally favourable home conditions, and healthier environment a.nd habits outside the home. ' -'".■■"■"■ HEARING AND CARE OF .;■•'■■ CHILDREN. ". • ■

• .^ I *Jl^- ISPantwe.: it is obvioue that' very little can.be effected in the way of bettering the, average heredity: but are we taking adequate measures :u the direction pf nnproving the., environment fit another and child? . The housine problem » still far from "satisfactoryl help m the home; can scarcely' be proYFff J a!l 4 H l'e™ng and care' of children thro fl ghout the pre-school and school penpda in a large proportion of f es, V nether conducive to a high standard of nutrition, growth, ar,d moral development, nor tp the establishment of normal self .control,, especially as relw^^?A hablts and n>«nif^tation S . that !?m^ Uf. ecan"ot ignore the fact that the leading medical and psveholoaMom that th B " power of self-control is at its highest when the individual s physically active, well-nourished ™rf S ea control 'always accompanies imnaired mtnUon, debility, and disea^f

SERIOUS HANDICAPS. ■ "<ln. Jiew °f, these considerations the committee feels compelled to refer to such serious handicaps to all round health, control, and efficiency as the pr e : valence of (wrong, feeding habits f« giving children food between mea s the of fresh fruit ?lld %™ Rubles m the daily"diet, and?th a atu'e iv Ta- °th?r Prom'>nt and avoidable handicaps seriously affeetina many ou'Jht 6'^ 111 0^ 0111 the V™»™ S In L tV??eiVC re serious attention. an in the home; and at school, insufficient, daily outing and exercise, Jacl'of adequate provision in the ,vay of %?. b^t not least, the highly injurious pmcreport of the I),reccor of School Hygiene is referred lo_ f confirming ; mos fol U c SiS 1'"8^ i» euWneut and tfe f\r •Cl- 01 6 al6°' draw's attention to thu injurious effects of over- % committee nothing needs to be im tion : Giveepnceand time and rest '"