PRACTICAL EUGENICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 52

PRACTICAL EUGENICS

THE SAVING OF CHILD LIFE. By G. Benstead, Associate of the London Special Schools' Union and Lato Principal Special School Otekaike. One of the most urgent problems with which all portions of the British Empire is confronted to-day is: How can wo satis* factorily leplace the lives of all those sound and physically fit men who have been killed during this great war? /

The definition of the science of Eugenics is "the study of agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations, either physically or mentally." Now, as all thoughtful people are, consciously or unconsciously, Eugenists, this is a problem which must conoern the whole of the thinking portion of the community. It is generally conceded that one of the most valuable potential assets of a country is its child population, and, further, it is .almost universally accepted that every child has a sight to be born well, to be nurtured well, and to be educated in such a way as will enable him to become a producer, and not a burden to the State.

If this is admitted, is it not a question as to whether it is not the business of the State_ to set up a department where such questions, which must affect not only tho health of the nation, but also, indirectly, its wealth, may be seriously considered, so that some attempt may be made to formulate the laws of the growth of the population? Much water, however, will flow into the sea before we can obtain a politician who has the courage to deal with problems of this nature. The late Dr Olouston, in his work entitled "Unsoundness of Mind, ' stated: "If one-tenth of the thought and one-twentieth of the effort that has been wasted on political discussion were for a few generations given to health knowledge and the upbuilding of a 'health conscience' amongst mankind, we might make more progress. We need a genius and a few fiery enthusiasts to compel the attention of men. and women to such questions." This problem has to be faced, however, from economic reasons, seeing that we must re-create and replenish that army of workera and producers on whoso skill, vigour, application, and initiative our very existence as one of the leading nations of the world depends. It has been stated with regard to the war "that if we have learnt our lesson aright, wo shall never return to the unorganised social structure we knew before the war." There are undoubted signs that this may be so if Mr Fisher's scheme for the remodelling of our educational system at Home and the interest which is now gradually dawning on the public mind with regard to child welfare generally may be interpreted as portents of those social reconstructions which are to follow in their wakft.

Apart from any Government action which is always more or less belated, it is the duty of all intelligent members of a country to seriously consider, such a problem, seeing that its satisfactory solution is probably next in importance as a question of national well-being and safety to the present all-important task of successfully combating the present menace of German tyranny and oppression against humanity and civilisation at the instance of the modem Attila the Kaiser and his whole Junker caste.

The solution of this problem may be found by the adoption of measures somewhat on the following lines:— 1. Perfect the present arrangements (whioh I believe are largely of a philanthropic- nature) for the dissemination of knowledge to all expectant mothers so as to prominently call attention to the fact that morbid ante-natal conditions do prejudice infantile life andl consequently the national health by causing pre-natal deaths and post-natal disease and deformity. It should be fully recognised that life does not begin at birth, and that many pre-natal influences are at work which make for the weal or woe of the future offspring.

Pregnanoy should be a protected period of life, and the proper management of the mother's health during that period materially increases the infant's chances of a post-natal life. The establishment of rest homes—especially for working women—where they can retire for a few weeks before their confinement, and the provision of pre-maternity hospitals are of the utmost importance, and should be considered an essential part of the Health Department's work. It is undoubtedly the duty of the State at such a time as this to ensure that full details regarding the action and nature of the ante-natal influences should reach all expectant mothers, and to spread abroad the knowledge of the importance of health in the parents of the future generation. In Great Britain alone we are told that the waste of life before birth is probably as great as that during the first year after birth. This is a serious condition of affairs when ono considers that in the United Kingdom practically every year' 100,000 infants who are born, die before they reach the ago of one year. 2. Extend the operations of the society brought into existence through the instru-

mentality of Dr Trubv King, who, with his co-workers, have made etrenuoua effort* to direct the attention of tho women of New Zealand to tho fact that if the babies •which are born are carefully and scientifically handled and fed the present rate of infantile mortality can bo reduced to a minimum by tho adoption of intelligent methods. In this way it should bo possible to develop a " health conscience" amongst e.o people so that they may recognise the disputable fact that, in the past, infants, during the early stages of their separate existence, have been the unconscious victims of a want of organisation on the part of those responsible for the national welfare ; Further, It might bo more economical if the various agencies which now work separately for the good of the infant portion of the community were co-ordinated pnder one organisation. At present we have S" e Plunket nurse system, the St. Helens aternity Hospitals, the Infant Life Protection scheme, and the various institutions for the care of orphan and neglected children working independently of each other. Such a system must be productive of overlapping of effort, friction, unnecessary expense, and is detrimental to the ultimate and common aim of all —namely, the production of a healthy, intellectual, and strong race. In formulating a comprehensive scheme for dealing with this question on national lines the method of procedu-e should be on similar lines to that recommended by myself in 1912 when dealing with "Public Health, Education, and Mental Degeneracy In my annual report of that year I stated: " The ultimate aim of our educational system is to produce a healthy, moral, intellectual, and strong race. This is, of . course, as it should bo, but at the same time we should consider it our first duty to set on foot a scientific movement, which in time will become of truo social value, to scientifically inquire into the question of ~ production and reproduction of those blots on our public health and well_ being—insanity, idiocy, criminality, inebriety, etc. — ■which are now treated by separate departments, but which are clearly portions of one vast question of national importance." The same applies to the question of protecting and conserving infant life—ono set of machinery and one organisation would be the ideal authority which would ensure a wider outlook comprehend ; ng the issues from a national or racial point of view. To fully appreciate the problem with which we are confronted one has only to contemplate the following facts: (1) The Declining Bieth-rate both in New Zealand and at Home.

(a) During the past 50 years in the United Kingdom the birth rate has fallen from 35 to 22 per 1000 of the population. . \ Again, in 1910 the births in. the United Kingdom exceeded the deaths by 413,715, whereas in 1915 the births exceeded the deaths only by 252,201. In 1916 also there were 129,000 fewer births than in 1914. (b) In New Zealand the total number of births registered in 1915 was 27,850, or 25.33 in every 1000 persons living. This was the second lowest birth rate ever recorded in New Zealand. (c) The rate of natural increase of population in New Zealand has fallen from 31.19 per 1000 of the mean population in the year 1870 to 16.27 per 1000 in the year 1915.

It may be pointed out, however, that in most of the civilised countries of the -world a declining birthrate is noticeable, and it should also be stated, that in New Zealand the decline in the birthrate has been partially compensated by a decrease in the death rate. Nevertheless, the position is eerious enough, especially at the present time, when so many of our young and healthy men are being killed and partially disabled in the war. 11. The Death Rate.

(1) During the year 1915, in Great Britain, 95,603 infants died before they reached the age of one year, or on an average 12 babies under the age of one year died every hour. . . That this mortality could have been substantially reduced if a proper national scheme had been in force for the protection of infant life is clearly shown by the report of the chief medical officer of the Local Government Board in England, when he states: " There should be no insuperable difficulty in reducing the total deaths of childhood to one-half of their present number."

(b) In Now Zealand there were, in the year 1915, 1394 deaths amongst infant? up to the age of 12 months. Of this number 827 were males and 567 females. On an average, therefore, there were practically. 27 infants under the age of one year dying weekly in New Zealand during the year 1915.

It will doubtless be said that much has been done in New Zealand to reduce infantile mortality. This is conceded, yet it

cannot bo claimed that nearly 1400 babies are doomed to die prematurely—i.e., before they reach the age ,of one year —on account of inherent defect or bad heredity.

There is no doubt that the present rate of infantile mortality in New Zealand can be materially reduced by adopting a comprehensive scheme of education and prevention on the lines adopted by Dr Truby King- and his fellow-workers, and it is the bounden duty of those responsible for the health and wellbeing of the people to awake from their lethargy, divest themselves of the shackles of red tape and officialdom, and go forward with this movement and provide the neoessary funds for the improvement of mothercraft, and so arrest the present waste of child life, which is one of the greatest potential assets of the country. That the people in England are fully alive to the necessitites of the unusual conditions brought about by the present war is evident by the fact that during the past few months a week was set apart for the consideration of measures to promote the health of the infantile portion of the community. This has been- taken up by the Eeople of Nrfw Zealand, who also shortly itend to hold a " baby week."

When it is understood that during the year 1915, on an average, nine men in the British army engaged in the war died every hour, and that more or less this wastage o<f the best of the Empire has oontinued ever since, it must be patent to all that we must arouse ourselves and make every effort to reduce infantile mortality to a minimum, and thus oonsorve the child life of our generation.