DR.UNDERHILL. JR.: I think Dr. Wilson has perhaps confused sterilization with birth control.
DR.W.W.WILSON: No, I havent There is a great deal of difference between the two, doctor.
DR. E. UNDERHILL, JR.: There is a great distinction between the two. Sterilization is a very dangerous procedure for the state to adopt.
DR. W.W.WILSON: The state doesnt adopt it. The state gives the doctor the privilege of doing that. Yes, indeed, that is what I am talking about.
DR. E. UNDERHILL, JR.: We now have all the privileges we need.
DR. W.W.WILSON: Can you teach a woman birth control legally in the state of Pennsylvania? I dont believe you can. I know you cant in New Jersey.
DR. E.UNDERHILL, JR.: I think it is perfectly all right for a doctor to have the privilege of counselling his patients along contraceptive methods, but I dont think sterilization is a very safe practice.
DR. B.C.WOODBURY: In order that my friend, Dr. Underhill, may, perhaps, not be unjustly situated in this matter, I will say that I was the third member on that committee and not Dr.Underhill.
DR. W.W.WILSON: I am very happy that Holland legalizes birth control. The sooner we do it here the better off we will be.
DR.E.UNDERHILL, JR.: I dont think we should go into the subject of birth control at all in a meeting of this kind. I think we might as well face facts. I think birth control is practiced by 99.44 per cent. of all couples some time or other. Whether or not the physician should suggest devices along that line remains with the individual man, and I dont think it is anybody elses business.
DR.C.A.DIXON: All this discussion does my heart good. Some of you seem to think that I am standing her advocating sterilization. Bless your dear hearts, I am advocating homoeopathy. It is the only real cure. It is the only thing it is big enough to cover this situation. Dr.Underhill and Dr.Woodbury think that people should be allowed to marry and to propagate idiots, that it is a God-given right and people should be permitted to do it.
I dont believe that, and I dont believe that anyone who has been in contact with the work, social workers or court workers, for five years, will back you up in your belief. That opinion is held only by those people who havent given this deep thought. and that is the reason I put h its paper up to you.
The time has come when we must do some deep thinking I say in my paper that the state should be made to take care of these people. They are not doing it and they are not going to do it. We are in a depression, and they are cutting taxes in Ohio everywhere they can. They lopped off 3,500,000 on the upkeep of our state institutions this year. Remember my statistics. Fifteen thousand cases of feeble-minded children have been adjudicated, but ther is no place to take care of them. I have talked a lot about dollars and cents. I hope you you dont think I am taking mercenary view of this situation, but I must hit the taxpayer and his pocketbook before he will pay any attention.
Akron, Ohio
President, I.H.A.