320 GENETICS 



every individual regarded the germplasm he carries 

 as a sacred trust, then it would be the part of an 

 awakened eugenic conscience to restrain that germ- 

 plasm when it is known to be defective or, when it is 

 not defective, to hand it on to posterity with at least 

 as much foresight as is exercised in breeding domestic 

 animals and cultivated plants. 



The eugenic conscience is in need of development, 

 and it is only when it becomes thoroughly aroused in 

 the rank and file of society as well as among the lead- 

 ers, that a permanent and increasing betterment of 

 mankind can be expected. 



5. RESTRICTION OF UNDESIRABLE GERMPLASM 



A negative way to bring about better blood in the 

 world is to follow the clarion call of Davenport and 

 "dry up the streams that feed the torrent of defective 

 and degenerate protoplasm." 



The education of the feeble-minded, the cure of the 

 insane and the reform of the criminal are all euthenic 

 not eugenic means of relief. Some idea of the extent 

 of the drag of the "submerged tenth'* upon human so- 

 ciety may be gained from the following table, the data 

 for which are derived from the U. S. census. 1 



The burden of the three undesirable D's, "defectives, 

 dependents and delinquents," upon human society is 

 by no means entirely represented in the dollar-column 

 of this table. Each individual recorded is a human 

 being, the member of some family and community, 



1 Statistical Directory of State Institutions for the Defective, 

 Dependent and Delinquent Classes. Washington, 1919. 



