xii Foreword 



the entire life education, when the responsibil- 

 ity of the world's welfare passes on to another 

 generation. If there is an hereditary predis- 

 position, — a passion for drink, for instance, — 

 and we know of it, we can, through nurture and 

 environment, take away the opportunity for its 

 development; if there is an hereditary predis- 

 position to certain physical defects, such as tu- 

 berculosis, we can, by change of environment 

 and proper nurture, prevent its development. 



During the last seventy-five years we have 

 made marvellous progress in euthenics, and I 

 believe we are on the threshold of similar pro- 

 gress in eugenics. The two fields of human- 

 itarian endeavor interlock exactly as heredity 

 interlocks with environment, nature with nur- 

 ture. 



The writer of this volume is one of the 

 leaders of our time in the application of knowl- 

 edge inspired by sentiment and real sympathy 

 and understanding of the ills to which flesh is 

 heir. In this work we find clearly set forth 

 this most important of all humanitarian move- 

 ments, namely, the birth and care of children. 



