Wilson Philip K
Penn State College of Medicine.
Can Bull Med Hist. 2003;20(1):11-41. doi: 10.3138/cbmh.20.1.11.
American eugenists in the early 20th century distinguished "degenerates," including syphilitics, prostitutes, alcoholics and criminals, from the "normal" population by their particular bad habits. From eugenists' viewpoint, these bad habits were derived from bad character, a flaw that stemmed from an individual's bad genes. This essay explores how eugenists during this period characterized syphilitics and those with associated character "defects" in terms of heredity. Additionally, it examines the methods eugenists most frequently advocated to rectify these bad habits. These methods included marriage restriction, immigration control and reproductive sterilization. Overall, eugenists directed their efforts not so much at the "degenerate" as at his or her germ line.
20世纪初，美国优生学家根据“退化者”（包括梅毒患者、妓女、酗酒者和罪犯）的特殊不良习惯，将他们与“正常”人群区分开来。在优生学家看来，这些不良习惯源自不良性格，而这种缺陷源于个体的不良基因。本文探讨了这一时期优生学家如何从遗传角度描述梅毒患者以及具有相关性格“缺陷”的人。此外，还考察了优生学家最常倡导的纠正这些不良习惯的方法。这些方法包括婚姻限制、移民控制和生殖绝育。总体而言，优生学家的努力并非主要针对“退化者”本人，而是针对其生殖细胞系。
