228 JON ALFRED MJ0EN 



G. H. Knibbs: Health Declaration. A formal declaration of health should be ob- 

 tained before marriage is permitted. 



Fritz Lenz: (Aus dem deutschen Program f. Rassenhygiene (1922). "Pnichtmassige 

 Untersuchungen aller Ehebewerber ohne Eheverbot sind schon jetzt durchfuhrbar, auf 

 ihre gesetzliche Einfuhrung ist sofort hinzuwirken." 



In support of the program from Vinderen Laboratorium the Norwegian 

 philosopher Herman Harris Aall finished his article with the words: "The 

 sexual relations have hitherto been judged chiefly from the standpoint of 

 the love felt by two persons for each other, — they must be raised to a higher 

 level and be judged with a view to the coming generations. We must learn 

 that the responsibility for giving life to a human being may weigh just as 

 heavy as the responsibility for causing the death of a human being." 



In Germany, a ministerial decree of February 19, 1926 advocates the 

 establishment of pre-nuptial consultative centres and such institutions are 

 already active at Dresden, Berlin, and Magdeburg. The Medical Society 

 of Berlin pronounced itself on March 24, 1926, in favour of making a pre- 

 nuptial medical examination obligatory for both sexes, with free choice of 

 doctor but it considered that professional secrecy should be strictly ob- 

 served, and that the final decision should rest with the contracting parties. 



In France, a pre-nuptial medical examination, advocated for the past 

 twenty-five years by the "Societe francaise de prophylaxie sanitaire et 

 moral," is also strongly recommended by the Societe Francaise d'Eugenique. 



In Austria, a pre-nuptial consultative institution has been in existence 

 in Vienna since 1922, and similar centres are to be found in Belgium (Ant- 

 werp and Brussels) and in Italy (Milan). 



In the Netherlands, a society has been formed to further the cause of 

 pre-nuptial medical examinations. Dr. Rene Sand, Secretary General of 

 the League of Red Cross Societies and President of the Societe d'Eugenique 

 has furnished some data on marriage legislation also in U. S. A., from which 

 it appears that after a pre-nuptial medical certificate was made obligatory 

 in 1919, the law was revoked by the state of Washington, but was adopted 

 with amendments by seven other States, in the majority of which the law 

 only applies to men, the certificate merely stating that there is no sign of 

 venereal disease. In North Carolina the examining doctor must make a 

 declaration to the effect that the contracting party is not suffering from any 

 contagious tuberculous disease and that he cannot be classed as an idiot, 

 an imbecile or a lunatic. In North Dakota the declaration must further 

 state that the subject is neither an epileptic nor a confirmed inebriate. In 

 these two States women must also present certificates but in their case the 



