48 WHAT IS EUGENICS? 



of sterilizing the feeble in mind has no doubt been con- 

 demned on grounds which will now be considered. 



The cheapest way of dealing with the feeble in mind 

 would at first sight appear to be to steriMze them all, and 

 then to turn them all adrift to look after themselves. And 

 there are some who fear that our Local Authorities cannot 

 be trusted not to adopt such a poHcy. No doubt to house 

 aU the feeble in mind in a proper manner would be a costly 

 business. But every other way of deaUng with them would 

 often be cruel, and would in some cases throw risk on the 

 pubHc. Moreover, the expense of maintaining all feeble- 

 minded persons in institutions would not be so great as it 

 would appear on paper. For against the costs as thus 

 incurred there ought to be reckoned as an offset the heavy 

 expenditure which would otherwise faU on private indivi- 

 duals, together with the additional pubKc expenditure on 

 prisons, workhouses, and hospitals into which many mental 

 defectives would inevitably drift if not retained in other 

 institutions. Lastly, the feeble in mind can often do more 

 towards supporting themselves when in institutions than 

 when at large. Local Authorities will learn to take these 

 considerations into account ; and they ought in this matter 

 of sterihzation to be trusted to do what is for the good of 

 the nation to the same extent as in regard to many other 

 duties. When it is seen that they cannot thus be trusted, 

 all power should be taken away from them. 



Another objection urged against sterihzation, which was 

 mentioned in the last chapter, is that it would facilitate 

 promiscuous intercourse. Certainly it ought always to be 

 possible to recall any certified mentally defective person to 

 an institution on receipt of an unsatisfactory report. With 

 a well-organised system of guardianship thus safeguarded, 

 sterihzation ought to add little to the risk of sexual troubles 

 arising. Experience alone could show how many persons 

 could safely be allowed more hberty because of steriliza- 

 tion ; for on this point the evidence is contradictory. But 

 thus to add to the happiness of even a few is well worth 

 striving for. 



