LARGE FAMILIES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 121, 18 November 1929, Page 11

LARGE FAMILIES

VALUE TO THE NATION

BIRTH CONTROL-EVILS

DOCTOR'S AEGUMENT

United Press Association.—Ej Electric Tele

graph - -Copyright

LONDON, 16th November.

"X" know I am dropping a bomb," said Sir Robert Armstrong-Jones when challenging arguments advanced by Mi\ Harold Cox, editor of the "Edinburgh Eeview," urging wider facilities for birth .control among the. lower classes, and voluntary sterilisation of the unfit. "If you are going to sterilise mental deficients, why not criminals, drunkards, and political apostates?" he asked.

Mr. Cox's remarks were made at a 'lecture over which Sir Kobert Arm-strong-Jones presided. Sir Robert maintained that large families were the greatest help, members assisting one another. He doubted if there had been any increase in mental deficiency, | which had simply been made more ! apparent by more careful diagnosis. Moreover, mental deficiency was not bound to bei nherited. His practice showed that absence of ■ children caused neurasthenia in married women, leading to insanity. If birth ■control were instituted on a large scale i there would be need for more lunatic j asylums for women.

Sir Robert Armstrong-Jones is the Lord Chancellor's visitor in lunacy and was consulting physician, in mental diseases to the military forces in London and the Aldershot commands, and to the American Red Cross Hospital for officers, Lancaster Gate. He visited | asylums in France, Germany, Italy Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Russia, and Norway, and published his experiences. He has also published investigations into the question of mental and physical .deterioration.