THE FEEBLE-MINDED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 26 March 1930, Page 5

THE FEEBLE-MINDED

AN INCREASING EVIL

For the third time within a few weeks Mr Justice McCardie lias uttered warnings to the nation respecting the peril of the feeble-minded, reports the London correspondent of the "Dominion " In his charge to tho grand jury at Chelmsford (Essex Assizes) he said: "As I go through the counties on circuit I am deeply struck by one essential cause of serious crime. I refer to the existence and the freedom of the feeble-minded or mentally defective. "In my opinion they constitute a grave national peril and curse. There are over 300,000 feeble-minded people in this country, and day by day the hideous process goes on bv the multiplication of the mentally defective. "In one case which T had to deal with recently one woman had nine illegitimate children, all of whom were mentally defective. What is the remedy? , "First. I suggest the segregation ot the unfit, and efficient and often costly remedy, and second, .sterilisation, which in many cases is pract'"able and often much less exnensive. Vcrv careful attention should be naid to this problem." Mr Justice Roche, at Liverpool Assises, recently observed that there seemed very little to be said for not sterilising or'shutting up feeble-minded peoplo who were prone to certain offences.