Eugenics Record Office. BULLETIN No. 10A - DNA Patent Database ...

THE SCOPE OF THE COMMITTEE’S WORK. 63
dividuals of these classes sterilization by consent may be desirable. If
these remedies fail with any particular group of the physically inadequate,
then such group of individuals should be classed as socially
inadequate and as such should be subjected to the legal segregation and
sterilization features of this program.
9. Due continually to receiving a higher grade of inmates and to
extending the colonization and industrial systems for better treatment
and partial self-maintenance of inmates, it is probable that the necessary
increased institution capacity demanded by the recommended program
can be provided for without greatly increasing the expense burden in
relation to the total state budgets and to the per capita expense to the
total population. With institutional growth will come a greater demand
for trained physicians, eugenists and administrators with a consequent
increased skill in diagnosis and treatment and in determining
the hereditary qualities and innate traits of the inmates, all of which
will tend to accelerate the attainment of the desired ends.
10. Sterilization of a male by vasectomy skillfully executed is a
simple, safe, and effective method for preventing procreation by him
without otherwise greatly disturbing his physiological, mental or social
economy. By skillful surgical technique and sometimes—though very
rarely—by natural processes the vas may be re-anastimosed and the
procreatory functions thereby restored. Castration therefore appears
to be the only absolutely sure method of sterilizing males, but when
young boys are thus operated upon it appears also to inhibit the development
of their secondary sexual characteristics as well as to destroy the
procreatory functions. Castration of adult males seems to be unaccompanied
by any great physiological change other than sterilization. For
general eugenic purposes, vasectomy carefully executed is considered
sufficiently certain to insure effective sterilization. It is recommended
as the best general method where it is considered desirable to sterilize
cacogenic males; to be supplanted by other operations only for additional
medical or social reasons.
11. The sterilization of the female—whether ovariotomy, salpingectomy,
or hysterectomy—is a more serious matter. However, modern
surgery and hospital care have greatly reduced the danger of such
operations. Salpingectomy and hysterectomy successfully executed
have but little physiological effect other than the effective sterilization
of females of any age, nor does ovariotomy often have any apparent
untoward effects upon adult women. Rare cases of women regenerating
ovaries—which were thought to have been entirely removed—and bear-