ID# 2289:
"The Progress of Eugenical Sterilization," by Paul Popenoe, Journal of Heredity (vol. 25:1), including journal cover and contents page
Date:
1934
Pages: (1|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|10)
Source:
Cold Spring Harbor, ,

&quote;The Progress of Eugenical Sterilization,&quote; by Paul Popenoe, <i>Journal of Heredity</i> (vol. 25:1), including journal cover and contents page

Popenoe: Eugenic Sterilization 21 [photo] Student of Sterilization Figure 5 Long interested in philanthropy, and in race-improvement, Mr. E. S. Gosney initiated in 1925 a study of the actual effects of the California law during the fifteen years it had been in operation. This study has continued since that time, and has made available more facts about the effects of such a law than are else where to be found. To provide for the continuance of this work Mr. Gosney had incorporated and endowed the Human Betterment Foundation. [double hairline, column width] The province of Alberta, Canada, adopted a sterilization law early in 1928 and British Columbia took a similar step in 1933. Denmark has had a sterilization law since June, 1929, the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland since January 1, 1929 and the state of Vera Cruz in Mexico since December 1, 1932. Finally the adoption by the German government on July 26, 1933 of a comprehensive sterilization law, taking effect on January 1, 1934, brought under this measure the largest number of persons who had ever been included in the scope of such legislation at any one time. From the very beginning, the progress of eugenic sterilization has been attentively followed by competent students. Since the founding of the Eugenics Record Office in 1910 its Superintendent, Dr. Harry H. Laughlin, has devoted particular attention to this subject and his many publications have presented a record of the progress of legislation and litigation, together with a wealth of detail on other aspects of the problem. With the widespread discussion given to sterilization, however, there was still a lack of adequate information as to the actual effects of the operation and the circumstances surrounding the enforcement of a sterilization law. The only large and satisfactory body of evidence was that which was being steadily increased by the institutions of California, and the study of such a large body of material was an undertaking far beyond the reach of any ordinary individual or institution. Meanwhile, E. S. Gosney of Pasadena who, during a long career as lawyer, banker, live stock breeder, educator, and philanthropist, had given particular thought to the application of eugenic principles in society, began a search for some definite project of eugenic value to which he could devote some of his time, energy, and accumulated wealth. After years of consideration of various possibilities, he decided nothing would be more woth while than a thorough-going and impartial study of the workings of California's eugenic sterilization law. If the abundant data available in the state institutions were collected, tabulated, analyzed by the most refined statistical methods and made public, he believed that the whole question would be put on a different plane. Discussion of sterilization would then no longer have to be based, as previously, on what people hoped it might do, or feared it might do, but could be based on the actual result in one state of thousands of cases extending over a score of years. Mr. Gosney therefore organized the study of the California results in 1925, with the aid of a group of consultants representing various specialties, and the [end]

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