A. PlNARD.Appendix.459
does not characterise either explicitly or sufficiently the proposed object,
while the word “ Eugennique,” of yerpjaw, at once recalls to the
mind the idea of a favourable procreation(2).
It is part of the duty of our first principal sitting to lay down a rule
upon this point.
Certainly, biological, sociological, and historical researches, laws and
social customs regarded in their relations with the science of Eugenics,
are necessary and will undoubtedly result in extremely interesting data, but
from now it is above all things urgent to establish and proclaim eugenic
principles. Researches relating to physiological heredity and pathological heredity
ought to be pursued without interruption, but it is necessary to make known
as soon as possible to the masses of the people the individual conditions,
fully understood, which alone permit a favourable and healthy procreation.
In a word, it is necessary, by every means and as soon as possible, to
organise a great movement in order to show to the greatest number of human
beings the absolute necessity for a conscientious, i.e., an enlightened pro
creation. We must bravely approach the civilising of the re-productive
instinct, which alone has remained in a barbarous state amongst all the so-
called civilised nations from the earliest times.
Then only, when societies have fulfilled this duty, will they have the
right to investigate what they ought and can effect against those for whom
future offspring would be recognised as fatally disastrous.
Finally, it is fully understood that researches relating to selection in
the human species must be pursued in a parallel manner, as is now done
with such fruitful results for animals and vegetables in Genetics, and in
throwing light upon the constantly increasing conquests of this other science.
L-« B rl . A
(2) Besides, the word “ Eugenics ” recalls in France a chemical term • eu^enic-
acid. b
