24 The Journal of Heredity [photo left] First Eugenic Sterilizer Figure 8 Dr. Harry Sharp, of the Indiana State Reformatory, performed the first eugenic sterilizations in 1899. At that time no law existed authorizing such procedure, and Dr. Sharp performed several hundred operations by merely getting the consent of the inmates. His experience formed the basis for the first state sterilization law, passed by Pennsylvania in 1905. [double hairline, column width] many states which had theretofore been waiting for further guidance. The latest complete tabulation of official sterilizations in the United States is that published by the Human Betterment Foundation as of January 1, 1933, as follows: State & Male & Female & Total Alabama . . .& 73 & 58 & 131 Arizona . . .& 10 & 10 & 20 California . . . & 4,423 & 4,081 & 8,504 Connecticut . . .& 18 & 320 & 338 Delaware . . . & 181 & 115 & 296 Idaho . . . & 4 & 9 & 13 Indiana . . .& 159 & 58 & 217 Iowa . . . & 56 & 38 & 94 Kansas . . . & 588 & 388 & 976 Maine . . . & 5 & 36 & 41 Michigan . . . & 264 & 819 & 1,083 Minnesota . . . & 72 & 621 & 693 Mississippi . . . & 1 & 11 & 12 Montana . . . & 33 & 48 & 81 [photo right] Historian of Sterilization Figure 9 Dr. Joseph Mayer has recently reviewed in detail the history of the sterilization movement. His tentative conclusion that selective sterilization was in accord with the traditions of the Catholic Church was published before the Papal encyclical of December 31, 1930. This document placed that Church officially on record as being opposed to such operations. [double hairline, column width] Nebraska . . .& 94 & 135 & 229 New Hampshire . . .& 23 & 142 & 165 New York . . . & 1 & 41 & 42 North Carolina . . . & 10 & 36 & 46 North Dakota . . .& 56 & 37 & 93 Oklahoma . . .& 0 & 0 & 0 Oregon . . . & 296 & 586 & 882 South Dakota . . . & 55 & 84 & 139 Utah . . . & 44 & 41 & 85 Vermont . . . & 8 & 22 & 30 Virginia . . . & 479 & 854 & 1,333 Washington . . . & 6 & 24 & 30 West Virginia . . . & 0 & 1 & 1 Wisconsin . . . & 40 & 452 & 492 Total . . . & 6,999 & 9,067 & 16,066 Sterilization in Germany The progress of sterilization abroad had been largely in the field of discussion until the action of Germany brought a large territory under the scope of such a measure. In no coun- [end]