The Black Stork : Eugenics and the Death of 'Defective' Babies in American Medicine and Motion Pictures Since 1915

In the late 1910s Dr. Harry J. Haiselden, a prominent Chicago surgeon, electrified the nation by allowing the deaths of at least six infants he diagnosed as "defectives". He displayed the dying infants to journalists, wrote about them for the Hearst newspapers, and starred in a feature film about his crusade. Prominent Americans from Clarence Darrow to Helen Keller rallied to his support. Martin Pernick tells this captivating story—uncovering forgotten sources and long-lost motion pictures—in order to show how efforts to improve human heredity (eugenics) became linked with mercy killing, as well as with race, class, gender and ethnicity. It documents the impact of cultural values on science along with the way scientific claims of objectivity shape modern culture. While focused on early 20th century America, The Black Stork traces these issues from antiquity to the rise of Nazism, and to the "Baby Doe", "assisted suicide" and human genome initiative debates of today. Shows how efforts of eugenics became linked w/euthanasia & race/class/ethnic hatreds/analyzes films on genetics/etc. Appropriate for: Lay Public, History of Medicine Scholars. Contents......Page 14 I: WITHHOLDING TREATMENT......Page 18 The Public Death of Baby Bollinger......Page 20 Debates and Investigations......Page 23 The Doctor and the Parents......Page 25 Haiselden and History......Page 29 A Word about Words......Page 34 Before Baby Bollinger: Infanticide, Eugenics, and Euthanasia......Page 36 U.S.A., 1915......Page 42 Taking Sides: Some Rough Images of the Debate......Page 46 3. Identifying the Unfit: Biology and Culture in the Construction of Hereditary Disease......Page 58 Heredity, Environment, and the Scope of Eugenics: Scientific Conceptions to 1915......Page 59 Heredity, Environment, and the Scope of Eugenics: Haiselden and Mass Cultural Meanings......Page 65 Constructing the Socially Defective: Crime, Race, and Class......Page 71 Defects and Desires: Eugenics, Aesthetics, and Sex......Page 77 Elite Priorities and Mass Culture: Physical and Mental Defects......Page 88 Degrees of Difference: Normality or Perfection?......Page 90 Opposing Expansive Concepts of Hereditary Defect: Equal Worth or Entering Wedge?......Page 92 Fitness and Objectivity......Page 95 From Prevention to Death......Page 98 Killing or Letting Die......Page 102 For Whose Benefit?......Page 106 Loving and Loathing......Page 111 Objective Science and Moral Obligation......Page 114 Doctors, Families, and the State......Page 118 Support for Medical Power......Page 119 Opponents of Medical Decision Making......Page 122 Eugenics and Gender Politics within Families and in Society......Page 126 Specialization and the Limits of Objectivity......Page 128 II: PUBLICITY......Page 132 Publicity, Public Health, and Professional Power......Page 134 Medical Movies and the Rise of Aesthetic Censorship......Page 138 7. Eugenics on Film......Page 146 The Movie......Page 160 Making and Distributing The Black Stork......Page 183 9. Medicine, Media, and Memory......Page 192 From Haiselden to Hitler: Infanticide, Eugenics, and Euthanasia, 1919–1945......Page 193 Baby Doe, Doctor Death, and the Human Genome Project: Comparing Haiselden's America with the Present......Page 200 Appendix: Individuals Involved in the Controversy......Page 210 Notes......Page 222 Bibliography......Page 284 A......Page 314 C......Page 315 E......Page 316 H......Page 318 J......Page 319 M......Page 320 P......Page 321 R......Page 322 V......Page 323 Y......Page 324 B......Page 326 P......Page 327 W......Page 328 In The Late 1910s Dr. Harry J. Haiselden, A Prominent Chicago Surgeon, Electrified The Nation By Allowing The Deaths Of At Least Six Infants He Diagnosed As Defectives. Seeking To Publicize His Efforts To Eliminate The Unfit, He Displayed The Dying Infants To Journalists, Wrote About Them For The Hearst Newspapers, And Starred In A Feature Film About His Crusade. Prominent Americans From Clarence Darrow To Helen Keller Rallied To His Support. The Black Stork Tells This Startling Story, Based On Newly-rediscovered Sources And Long-lost Motion Pictures, In Order To Illuminate Many Broader Controversies. The Book Shows How Efforts To Improve Human Heredity (eugenics) Became Linked With Mercy-killing (euthanasia) And With Race, Class, Gender, And Ethnic Hatreds. It Documents How Mass Culture Changed The Meaning Of Medical Concepts Like Heredity And Disease, And How Medical Controversies Helped Shape The Commercial Mass Media. It Demonstrates How Cultural Values Influence Science, And How Scientific Claims Of Objectivity Have Shaped Modern Culture. While Focused On The Formative Years Of Early 20th Century America, The Black Stork Traces These Issues From Antiquity To The Rise Of Nazism, And To The Baby Doe, Assisted Suicide, And Human Genome Initiative Debates Of Today. 1. The Birth Of A Controversy. The Public Death Of Baby Bollinger. Debates And Investigations. The Doctor And The Parents. Haiselden And History. A Word About Words -- 2. Contexts To The Conflict. Before Baby Bollinger: Infanticide, Eugenics, And Euthanasia. U.s.a., 1915. Taking Sides: Some Rough Images Of The Debate -- 3. Identifying The Unfit: Biology And Culture In The Construction Of Hereditary Disease. Heredity, Environment, And The Scope Of Eugenics: Scientific Conceptions To 1915. Heredity, Environment, And The Scope Of Eugenics: Haiselden And Mass Cultural Meanings. Constructing The Socially Defective Crime, Race, And Class. Defects And Desires: Eugenics, Aesthetics, And Sex. Elite Priorities And Mass Culture: Physical And Mental Defects. Degrees Of Difference: Normality Or Perfection? Opposing Expansive Concepts Of Hereditary Defect: Equal Worth Or Entering Wedge? Fitness And Objectivity -- 4. Eliminating The Unfit: Euthanasia And Eugenics. From Prevention To Death. Martin S. Pernick. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 251-280) And Indexes. The Black Stork uses the story of a Chicago surgeon who, in the 1910s, allowed the deaths of infants he diagnosed as "defectives", to illuminate broader questions: how efforts to improve human heredity became linked with mercy killing and social prejudices; how medicine influenced modern culture; and how mass culture redefined medical concepts At 4:00 A.M., November 12, 1915, in Chicago's German-American Hospital, Anna Bollinger gave birth to a seven-pound baby boy.