H. E. Jordan. Medicine and Eugenics.397
It would thus come within the range of this new-type physician’s
duties, for example, to give advice to conscientious prospective parties to
the marriage contract respecting their physical fitness for this state, the
possible nature of resulting offspring, and the desirability or value of
such offspring from the standpoint of the race. Again, he might be
expected to be informed regarding the racial effect of parental labour in
certain industrial occupations, and give advice according to the varying
conditions. Or, again, he might be expected to do so apparently simple
a thing as to give advice concerning what one should eat in specific
instances for the welfare of himself and even his offspring. The future
physician must also take a more active part in helping to shape legislation
in the interests of race-welfare, especially as regaids legistration, isolation,
and marriage restriction of the venerealy diseased.
The doctor must be able to supply properly what his clientele demands.
Hence, for a second reason, the future medical curriculum must include a
course in sound eugenics. Pressure will come to bear from without and
from within. Incidentally, this new demand will appreciably raise the
general moral level of the medical profession. For the responsibility of
this altered profession is enormous. Moreover, precept will have value
ontly as it is re-enforced by example. It demands exceptional men to be
able to practice in their private lives what the best elements of society will
demand that they should publicly teach.
But why, then, are courses in eugenics not now more generally given in
our medical schools? What are the obstacles to the inclusion of such a
course in the curriculum? Having determined the nature of the obstacles
or of the opposition, we need next to consider whether they are reasonable,
serious and insurmountable.
In the first place instruction in eugenics, in the form of a number of
special lectures on the subject, is already given in some of our medical
schools. This indicates at least that the need is felt and the importance of
such knowledge to the best physician recognized. Since not all of the
better medical schools give such courses, however, we may infer that there
are obstacles in the way. What is the nature of these?
One such may be the lack of adequate preparation on the part of
students in the fundamentals of biology to properly comprehend the import
and application of eugenic facts. There is even now considerable danger
that the eugenic propaganda may be injured by its well-meaning but
misinformed friends; hence it were better that physicians profess to know
nothing about the significance of heredity and eugenics than to disseminate
erroneous or vague ideas about these matters. On the other hand, due to
their peculiar position of influence and respect, if properly advised about
eugenics, physicians could be the most potent factors in spreading, and
giving proper direction to, the eugenic propaganda. The above-mentioned
