Science and Physical Development 



reduced to laws it will be possible, as it is emi- 

 nently desirable, to put some limit to the increase 

 of the unfit, and perhaps to encourage the genera- 

 tion of the fit. Mr. G. R. Sims has pointed out 

 the danger of allowing lunatics, half recovered, 

 to leave the asylums to propagate their kind 

 (see Daily Telegraph, December 14 and 19, 1904), 

 and has stated that the families of feeble-minded 

 parents are usually of more than normal size, 

 and most of the children are feeble-minded too. 1 

 Should not some steps be taken to persuade Society 

 to recognise that such marriages are a crime against 

 the race and disgraceful to all concerned ? 



And here our survey of the problems suggested 

 by the term " physical development " must cease. 

 We have followed for the most part the path 

 trodden by the committees of public inquiry that 

 have recently drawn fresh attention to the subject. 

 We have at each stage endeavoured to point out 

 the reforms suggested by that saving common- 

 sense which is according to knowledge, which is, 

 in fact, science. We do not ask that the health 

 and physical development of the nation shall be 

 handed over to specialists, but we plead that the 

 nation itself, or at least its more intelligent citizens, 

 should take the trouble to see these problems 



1 During the sixteen years to end of 1905 a large increase 

 in the number of lunatics had taken place in the county of 

 London. While the population had increased at the rate of 

 11.87 per cent, the number of pauper lunatics had increased 

 at the rate of 75.9 per cent. 



In 1890 the number of pauper lunatics in London was 16,358; 

 in 1905 that number had risen to 24,652. 



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