en is bad and even criminal, and warn them
against such an unpardonable act of thoughtlessness. If they are very
fond of children they can be recommended to adopt poor orphans.

There is no need, however, to be too severe. Medical men are often
pessimists, and have a tendency to see disease everywhere and to give
a grave prognosis. The procreation of children should not be
prohibited simply because there is insanity in some member of the
family, but the probabilities of hereditary transmission should be
calculated in the way we have explained in the first chapter of this
book.

Taking into consideration the bodily and mental health and the
character of the two candidates for marriage, as well as that of their
ancestry, the physician should consider what is likely to be the
average quality of children from such a marriage. According as his
calculation leads to a probability above or below the average of the
population, from all the points of view of the social value of man, he
will advise the parties concerned as to freedom or limitation in
procreation.

The average of humanity must not be placed too high, and the physician
should always keep in mind the great mental mediocrity, weakness of
will, the low moral level and physical defects of the bulk of the
population.

When persons who are intelligent and educated, but more or less
psychopathic or hereditarily tainted, put questions of this kind to
the doctor, because they are very conscientious and prudent, they
should be recommended to lead a healthy life and avoid alcohol, but
need not remain sterile, for their offspring may be morally and
intellectually above the average, and if all blastophthoric influences
are avoided there is a possibility or even probability of gradual
regeneration. In short, the doctor must treat each case on its own
merits, carefully weigh both sides of the question, and avoid being
influenced by exclusive dogmas of any kind. Thus only can he give wise
and useful advice.

What is of especial importance for us, is the knowledge that it is not
necessary, from the point of view of social hygiene, to prohibit
marriage for the sole reason that the offspring may be of bad quality.
We can allow psychopaths with hereditary taints, or even invalids of
both sexes, to contract sterile marriages, by requiring them to avoid
conception by some means or other, in the name of social hygiene and
morality. In such cases dislocation of the tubes has a defin