The Eugenic Marriage, Volume 3 (of 4) / A Personal Guide to the New Science of Better Living and Better Babies

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25044

Title

The Eugenic Marriage, Volume 3 (of 4) / A Personal Guide to the New Science of Better Living and Better Babies

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

W. Grant Hague's third volume offers a personal guide to eugenics, focusing on marital harmony, domestic efficiency, disease prevention, and exposing the patent medicine industry. Written in an earnest, didactic tone, the text appeals to mothers as the primary agents of social reform and racial improvement.

Summary up to 500 words

In the third volume of his eugenics series, *The Eugenic Marriage*, W. Grant Hague applies his theories to practical domestic life and public health. The text is structured to guide mothers and wives toward the 'new science of better living,' emphasizing that marital success hinges on the adaptability of temperaments. Hague argues against early marriage, asserting that the ideal age for matrimony is approximately twenty-three. At this stage, individuals have outlived hereditary tendencies and possess the plasticity to adapt to one another, whereas men over thirty often become too set in their ways to accommodate a new partner. Early marriage, he contends, frequently results in incompatibility, the birth of unfit children, and high infant mortality. Furthermore, Hague posits that a woman's primary role is to support her husband's efficiency by managing the household cheerfully and recognizing the early signs of his physical decline to ensure his rest. He warns that a wife who fails to notice her husband's exhaustion is failing in her duty, as no success is worth the cost of undermining a man's health. The volume also includes a detailed medical explanation of disease transmission, specifically tuberculosis. Hague describes how germs enter the lungs via dried spittle and how white blood cells function as defenders, battling infection until the patient's vitality is depleted. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to a scathing critique of the patent medicine industry. Hague exposes how fraudulent advertisers exploit the ignorant and the sick with false promises, noting that these remedies are often worthless mixtures sold by individuals lacking medical training. He highlights the conspiracy of the press, which often silences honest exposure to protect the profits of the 'combine.' Hague calls upon mothers to form eugenic clubs, educate their communities against these frauds, and advocate for legislation that protects public health. The work concludes with a resolution for mothers to refuse advertised cures and to insist that ailing friends consult qualified medical professionals. Hague frames this fight not merely as an economic issue but as a moral duty essential for the regeneration of the race and the prevention of physical degeneration.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Science
• Marriage