第 12 节
作者:
希望之舟 更新:2021-04-30 16:13 字数:9321
idiotic or insane or had any of the following diseases; viz。: syphilis;
tuberculosis; cancer; leprosy; yellow fever; smallpox; or any other
contagious disease or fever; or was shown on examination to be addicted
to vicious habits; were denied admission。 Another of the duties of the
Department of Health was to examine every person that applied to practice
medicine and surgery or to engage in any professional calling。 The law
required a medical examination to be made of the person; who was
granted a license every year; so as to keep the professions up to a high
standard。
Before granting license to any man; three male physicians in
Government employ examined him; and if a female three female
physicians examined her。 The first examination was physical; and if found
to be in good physical health they were passed up for a mental
examination; and if they qualified for their profession they were examined
morally; when they were asked the following questions: 〃Do you believe
in the Brotherhood of Man? Will you do unto others always as you would
desire that others should do to you? Do you promise that you will not
render obedience directly or indirectly to any person or persons outside of
Eurasia and that you will render willing obedience to the laws and do all
that lies in your power to maintain the honor of the country?〃 If they did
not agree to those rules of conduct they were denied a license。 If any
person attempted to practice any profession without a license he was
punished by six months' imprisonment at hard labor。
Any person practicing fortune…telling or any other fraudulent calling
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was tried for obtaining money under false pretenses; and on conviction
thereof was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at hard labor at the rock
crusher。 The result of this wise law showed in the total absence of bands of
gypsies; dancing dervishes; holy rollers and strolling vagabonds of every
description in Eurasia。 If a man or woman was found anywhere in Eurasia
without visible means of support the Department of Health found work for
them until such time as they could better their condition。 They were
required to work eight hours a day if they were able to do manual labor
and if not able to work they were sent to a Government Sanatorium。
The Department of Health had charge of the sewerage system in every
district; city as well as country。 In the cities it supervised the erection of
every new building; and any old buildings that it pronounced unsanitary
had to be torn down。 It saw also to the removal of all garbage and refuse
material。 The Department of Health had charge of all births; marriages and
deaths; and could order the cremation of any dead body when it believed
that it would be to the benefit of the health of the community to do so。 The
Department of Health was also required by law to make a physical
examination of children when they were born and to take care of them if
the mother was unable to do so and to send all illegitimate children to the
Government Orphan College。 It superintended the sale of all medicine and
drugs; having a Government physician at every Government warehouse
where they were sold。 It had also charge of all idiots and insane persons as
well as dangerous criminals。
The Superintendent and two Assistant Superintendents of the lunatic
asylums (of which there were only two; one for males and one for females)
were required by law to castrate male lunatics and emasculate females
who had become insane through masturbation or other vicious habits and
to chloroform dangerous lunatics who had homicidal tendencies。 Those
three physicians in committee examined every dangerous lunatic and two
of them could order the person chloroformed if in their judgment it was
necessary。 Lady physicians had charge of the female lunatic asylum with
the same authority as the men。 The two asylums were located in the center
of a fine tract of farming land in the Southern part of Eurasia; consisting of
ninety…two thousand one hundred and sixty acres in a high state of
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cultivation with flourishing orchards and vineyards; and at the time I
visited it had a population of sixty thousand male inmates and thirty…five
thousand female inmates…besides the officers and guards。
The mildest and most tractable of the inmates were in communities
organized in military style in different parts of the grounds and were
busily employed in doing everything that was required to make the
institution self…stustaining。 The physicians of the State prisons were
required by law after one year's imprisonment (one year after sentence was
passed was allowed to prove innocence) to castrate all males convicted of
rape; incest; or any other infamous crime against nature; and to castrate
every male prisoner who committed sodomy or other infamous crime
while in prison; but only after trial and conviction for the crime before the
District Court; and they could by a majority vote chloroform any
dangerous criminal that showed homicidal tendencies。
I saw no red…light sign of houses of prostitution; and on making
inquiries I was informed that there were no houses of prostitution in
Eurasia; for as soon as information was given to any Magistrate the law
required him or her to issue an order for the arrest of the female practicing
prostitution; and on conviction she was committed to the female
reformatory for five years; subject to parole after one year; and for a
second offense of the same crime she was deprived of the power to
propagate the race。 Gentle reader; don't think that this law is cruel or
unjust; for the amount of evil that a depraved woman can commit in
spreading; that loathsome disease; syphilis; is incalculable; and Christ
when he told the woman that had committed adultery that he did not
condemn her also added: 〃Go and sin no more。〃 A committee of six
physicians; three males and three females; in the service of the
Government in every district were required by law to examine every
person desiring marriage and if the person examined was affected with
tuberculosis; cancer; scrofula; leprosy; syphilis; or any other loathsome or
contagious disease; then that person was denied a license to marry; and
also if they were mentally unsound。
Under the law no person was allowed to marry until twenty…one years
of age; male and female; and any person violating this law was punished
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by one year's imprisonment at hard labor in the district in which this law
had been violated。 In no case was a Government physician permitted to
receive any compensation for services rendered as physician; for they
were the servants of the people; elected by the people in every district and
paid by the Government a salary fixed by law; and no bonds were required
of them or of any public official; for the people elected every public
official with the exception of officers in the Army and Navy; who were
elected by the soldiers up to the grade of Colonel; and the Brigadiers and
Major…Generals were appointed by the Minister of War; was was
Commander…in…Chief and directed all the operations of the Army and
Navy in war; and also the agents of the Department of Information; who
were appointed by the Minister of that department on the recommendation
of his assistant chiefs; of whom there was one in every district who was
elected