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18
1909]
the later members. They are of a more nervous and less stable constitution.
He finds that the neurotic, the insane, the tuberculous and the albinistic are
more frequent among the elder-born, and then he goes on to point out that
Dr. Goring's results for criminality show the same law, the result of which
is remarkable, for it proves that if you reduce the size of the family, you will
tend to decrease the relative proportion of the mentally and physically sound
in the community. This conclusion will not be upset if, as he suspects, the
extraordinarily able man, the genius, is also among the early-born, for this
man will not be lost if there is a larger family, although the sounder members
will be if you curtail it.
These grave statements, made by these distinguished men after the most
patient and careful enquiry, are deserving of the most thoughtful consideration
of persons who have not only the welfare of the state, but of our race, at heart,
Illegitimate Births.—These numbered 250, or 10 more than the
average of the preceding eight years, and 19 more than in 1908. They are in
the proportion of 5 0 per 1000 unmarried women at the child-bearing age.
The number of these births now noted is less than the average that
obtained in previous years (Table G in the Appendix), wherein it may be seen
that from 1851 to 1860 it was 133 per annum; from 1861-70 265; from
1871-80 342; from 1881-90 347; from 1891 to 1900 271; and from 1901 to 1908
192. The present tendency, therefore, is for these births, in common with the
legitimate births, to decrease.
There can be little doubt that the actual number of illegitimate births is
more than that which is gleaned from the registers, because it is a well-known
fact that many men and women among the labouring classes live together for
years, indeed for life, who have never been married, but who pass among
their friends and neighbours as married people, and who, when registering the
births of their children, so describe themselves. That people are not always
truthful with the registrars of births has been clearly proved by the notifications
made under the Notification of Births Act, for in 1909 in no less than 92
instances the incorrect address of the mother was given to them, although
the correct one had been notified to the Medical Officer of Health. If then
this was done when there was very little to be gained by doing so, how much
more likely is it to occur when there is a shameful disclosure to be made. The
fact is that it is only when the truth cannot be concealed that it is declared.