352 REPORTS FROM THE SECTIONS. 
more often acted on. It would be well in many cases 
family physician could forbid the banns. 
On the other causes of congenital defect which I have men- 
tioned it is not my intention to enlarge. : 
The influence of modern civilization in the production of insanity 
slavery—when all the physical wants of the slave were atte 
to; when there was no outlet for mental activity, or need for mental 
more 
than eighty out of a population of 800,000; whilst it ca 
from recent asylum reports that there are now more than 8 
insane persons of this race in these two States. 
said that it is better to be civilized and free with even large 
chance of : : 
this ; but the question remains whether the amount of insanity 
due to our modern civilization is not excessive, and to » large 
and higher developments as well as in its manufacture of re 
and struggling classes, and especially in its many ¢ 
fitted to survive and multiply, has caused and is still causing a 
higher percentage of insanity than was known in former times. 
