Should Unfit be eliminated? Lethal Chamber Idea Repugnant: Marriage Ban Plea: … Sterilization Impracticable: The Association had twice held an inquiry into the policy of Sterilisation with a view to seeing whether it would offer a practical method of safeguarding the race from the increase of the unfit. As a result, they had come to the conclusion that sterilisation was not at present a practical policy which could be actively pursued by the Association. The question of the best means of preventing the marriage of defectives would receive serious consideration in the near future. “Whole sterilisation,” said Mrs. Hume Pinsent, Commissioner of the Board of control, “is outside the scope of practical politics, but sterilisation of certain cases as an alternative to life-long segregation, and with the consent of either of the defectives or of their nearest relative, is a different problem.” Miss Hodgson, of the eugenic Society, pointed out that the Society was recommending to Members of Parliament that whenever anew bill to deal with mental deficiency was proposed a clause should be inserted making it a misdemeanour to marry or connive in the marriage of a person certified under the Mental Deficiency Act unless there was reason to suppose the marriage would not be fertile.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949