GENETICS AND EUGENICS 845 



to sanitaria for mental cases because of an inheritable type of insanity 

 and who are to be returned to their families. A few states provide also 

 for such sterilization of habitual criminals and those who are clearly 

 feebleminded. Eugenic sterilization consists of vasectomy and sal- 

 pingectomy — operations that bring about sterility without interfering 

 with endocrine function or normal sexual reactions. Over twenty-five 

 thousand such sterilizations have been performed under the present 

 laws. 



It is evident from the data previously discussed that family limita- 

 tion is being practiced by the eugenic group. It is suggested by many 

 who are facing squarely the problems of racial welfare that those who 

 are mentally and in other ways far below the majority of our citizens 

 should have made available to them the means of similarly limiting 

 the sizes of their families. The number of clinics where such measures 

 are made available to persons who will make proper use of them al- 

 ready number in the hundreds. 



Some of these eugenic measures are questioned on the grounds that 

 they violate human rights. AVe should also be considerate of the rights 

 of the unborn. It is reasonable to say that every child that is to be 

 born into this world has : 



The right to he horn with a sound mind. 



The right to he horn with a strong and normal hody. 



The right to he horn into an environment in which 



his inherited potentialities will have a fair 



chance to develop. 



