HEREDITY.

Wairarapa Age, 5 April 1928, Page 5

HEREDITY.

ADDRESS BY DR. HELEN COWIE WOMEN’S DIVISION MEETING The monthly meeting of the Masterton branch of tho Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, which was held yesterday, took the form of a luncheon, at which Dr. Helen Cowie gave an address on “Heredity.” The president, Mrs. T. R. Barrel, presided over an attendance of about forty. In introducing tho speaker Mrs Barrcr said Dr. Helen Cowie had been good enough to accept the position of honorary surgeon of the local branch, of tho Women’s Divisin. Dr. Cowie, who was received with applause, referred to tho worth of the Women’s Division, and proceeded to state that there were many signs of tho need of reforms—the disquieting drift to the towns, lack of self-confidence in the young and a craving for excitement and distaste for work in many sections of tho community. Unless the unfits and misfits were dealt with, they would endanger civilisation. The most healthy life, .said Dr Cowie, was country life and tho Women’s Division could rid country-life of many of its burdens. Eminent scientists had estimated tho influence of environment to be only one-fifth that of heredity. In primitive times Nature took care that only the‘fit survived and that weaklings perished and with them their power to do harm to future generations. Sir Alfred Pearson had stated that in 22 years tho proportion cf unfit to normal had more than doubled and in the last 100 years tho supply of first class ability had considerably lessened. Those figures were derived from, older countries, but they were quite applicable.to New Zealand. In 1924 a Royal Commission on backward and feeble-jninded children was appointed in New- Zealand, but its report, containing valuable recommendations, had apparently been shelved. The subnormal mind, said the speaker, tended to crime, poverty alid immoral living and its attendant diseases. Mental deficiencies at any time were transmitted to descendants with appalling regularity—a standing example was the much, quoted Jukes family, in which the marriage of a sub-normal immigrant to a feeble-minded woman in America, had resulted in 540 descendents, all of whom either led immoral lives, were criminals, afflicted with disease, illegitimates, or were living in workhouses. ■ | Their cost to the State in five genera-

tions was £260,000, The New Zealand Royal Commission had compiled the family history of certain New Zealand families and these records, of which Dr. Cowie quoted two examples, showed somewhat similar results. Gardeners and farmers, Dr. Cowie proceeded to state, knew tho facts of heredity when they culled out their weaklings, but in society the fit, under present conditions, must shoulder the burden of an increasing army of unfits. On tho other hand the proportion of normal and intellectual persons showed al decline, with tho result that unless remedies wore applied racial deterioration must inevitably follow. Dr. Cowie went on to suggest certain remedies. It should bo impossible for parents to allow their children to marry into any family with mental or physical taints. Tho most logical step was that a ccrtifieato of mental and physical fitness should bo nooossary before any mar-ri-go was allowed. The recommend*liens of tho Royal Commission, stated Dr. Cow'ie, should be acted upon. These provided for the setting up of an eivp’nie.s board, special classes or special schools for <fio training of backward children, n system of segregation 1 for those unfit to conduct their own affairs, and n. system of surgical treatment. On the motion of Mrs. A. O. MacDianuid Dr. Helen Cowio was thanked for her forceful and interesting address Mrs. Mae Diarmid, in moving tho motion, stressed tho value of pre-natal influence.