Race – Discreet improvements in the race

There has been much discussion as to the desirability of mating between members of the different races. It seems clear at least from the physical point of view that there is little objection except in a few particular respects. Thus each race is specially adapted to the environment of that part of the world which it inhabits. Europeans, for instance, have built up a good natural resistance to tuberculosis, a disease common in temperate climates. But they have not built up a resistance to yellow fever. The West African Negroes who have acquired this resistance are very susceptible to the tubercle germ when they visit Great Britain. It is interesting to note how such a resistance comes about. This is best illustrated by taking an example from agriculture. If a resistance against smudge, or rust, in cereals is required, a great number of plants are infected with the disease, and those which survive are selected for crossing. In the next generation the procedure is repeated and again the survivors are crossed. By this method a combination of genes is arrived at which ensures immunity to the disease in question. In this way each community, left to it, builds up its best resistance. Among the European nations the Jews, mainly living in ghettos, have constantly had a slum environment. Today, their resistance against tuberculosis is higher than that of the rest of the community. These resistances are usually determined by a number of genes. Race-crossing tends to break up the favorable combination of genes, and thus the offspring are left without defenses of this nature. What race crossing involves genetically from the mental point of view is as yet quite unknown. The differences between the main groups of mankind are very difficult to define and though we can easily tell a Negro from a white, science has not been able to determine exactly what the consequences of such a cross are. From this it must follow how impossible it is top judge the desirability, from a racial standpoint, of crosses say between Italians and Englishmen, of Englishmen and Jews. When ever a judgment on the inferiority of the hybrid between two human races is passed, one has to ask each time has this individual had the same chances as his parents? Since if a mulatto, for example is regarded as an outlaw by his comrades, he ahs to encounter more difficulties to earn his living and may easily develop into an undesirable character through discontent. What ever the race, improvement will be brought about by encouraging its good stocks, those with no known defects to have fairly large families. Even to maintain the present level of population, it is necessary that every family should average between three and four children. Some stocks of plants and animals have been built up by the application of genetics and by a favorable environment. Perhaps the day is not far distant when these principles will be more actively applied to human beings. A start at least has been made on the environment side in the field of preventive medicine.