EUGENIC WORK IN SWEDISH FINLAND 



93 



managing director of The Finland Steamship Company, treasurer to the Society), 

 Emma Saltzman (member of the central board of the Martha Society), Ossian Schau* 

 man (professor of medicine, president of the Society), Robert Tigerstedt (professor 

 of physiology), Wilhelm Udd (master builder) and Axel Wallgren (professor of 

 general pathology and pathological anatomy). 



Subcommittees of the Society are already 

 founded both in Aboland and in Ostrobothnia 

 and branches are being founded in several pa* 

 rishes. 



It is highly desirable for the Society as soon 

 as possible to found a special institute for re* 

 search in heredity. A fund of Fmk. 50,000: 

 exists already and just lately a sum of Fmk. 

 300,000: - has been bequeathed to them for the 

 same purpose. However very little can be done 

 with the interest on these funds. It is to be 

 hoped that some patrons of science will give 

 their aid towards the realization of this extre* 

 mely important work, the more so as the Society 

 in the person of its secretary, Dr. Harry Feder* 

 ley has a scientist, who possesses the necessary 

 ability for undertaking the management of such 

 an institute. 



Among the first tasks of the scientific sec* 

 tion of the Society may be pointed out an acco* 

 unt of the national character in Swedish Finland, 



and further an anthropological research of the Swedish population, on the same 

 plan as the one that will be followed in a proposed corresponding examination 

 in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. 



As regards the practical hygienic work of the Society it is worth mentioning 

 that temperance work must in the nearest future be made an object of special 

 attention. The reason is: since total prohibition was introduced two years ago in 

 Finland drinking has increased in a most alarming way in certain parts of the 

 country, especially in the coast regions of South Finland, where the population is 

 of Swedish origin. Through smuggling of spirits from the neighbouring Esthonia 

 the people earn large sums. They leave their honest callings, farming and fishing 

 and become addicted to an immoderate desire for intoxicating drinks. The go* 

 vernment has granted pecuniary subsidies to the Society for the campaign against 

 intemperance and thus made it possible to carry on the said propaganda with 

 greater intensity than could otherwise be done. A happy circumstance is that our 

 renowned physiologist, professor R. Tigerstedt, has undertaken to conduct this work. 



Immediately after the constituent meeting the Society issued a proclamation 

 to the Swedish population of Finland, in the shape of an artistically illuminated 

 table, printed on cardboard, which is to be sent out in about 60,000 copies. 

 It contains a number of commandments about the hygiene of the people, which 

 run as follows: 



PROFESSOR JARL HAGELSTAM. 

 Neurologist, Eugenist, Helsingfors. 



*28/3 1860. 



