Excerpt from Problems in Eugenics: Papers Communicated to the First International Eugenics Congress Held at the University of London, July 24th to 30th, 1912 In issuing the invitations for this Congress, only the most general indication of the Objects aimed at was given. Eugenics, as Sir Francis Galton termed the study of the agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations, presents, it was stated, problems of the utmost social importance. At present the most urgent need is for more knowledge, both Of the facts of heredity and of the effects of social institutions in causing racial change. As knowledge accrues, it must be disseminated and translated into action. The imparting of such knowledge would constitute a great advance in education: for both private individuals and public bodies have yet to be impressed with the gravity of the situation, and induced to act on eugenic principles. Ultimately it may be possible to induce Society to adopt a well-considered eugenic policy and to carry out reforms on eugenic lines. To attain these ends, however, it is necessary that those who are alive to the dangers of the present social situation should combine to gether for the purpose of exchanging views, and of discussing concerted schemes of action. This is the basis on which this meeting is about to assemble. Nothing, it will be observed, either in the foregoing statements, or in the method of nominating the readers Of papers mentioned in the Preface, implies the adherence to any fixed eugenic creed on the part of those attending the Congress. Every reader and every speaker is solely responsible for his own utterances, and individuals and societies must not be held to be in the least degree com promised by the expression in this volume of any views to which they dissent. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.