Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of those extraordinary book finds that comes about through sheer serendipity. This book was not recommended, was not widely read, but had been listed as a reference in another book in my readings about the historical context of the medical holocaust which happened here in the United States prior to Nazi Germany's excursion into hell. The title and slight mention given in a bibliography made me stop what I was doing and head for Amazon.com to find out what the book was about. The slight blurb was enough to pique my interest and I sent for the book.

This book is one of the most unique stories I have read in the onslaught of material on the eugenicists and their prejudicial science. Pernick is a historical biographer of medical practicioners and of the early films produced promoting eugenic ideals. During the early 1900's an American physician, Haiselden, very publicly 'allowed' a new-born infant with disabilities to die through withholding food, water, and surgical treatment. This occurrence was not an unusual one for physicians in general. Infanticide had occurred on one level or another, by physicians, midwives, and parents for years especially when infants were disabled and the families were poor. The difference lay in how this particular physican handled the media attention he received. This man courted the media to promote his views on physician assisted killing when children were born with disabilities or deformities. He went even farther and 'starred' in a film which portrayed the situation and the accompanying ethics as held by eugenicists and those who proposed euthanasia for the unwanted in the United States.

The history of early film-making coincides with the major years of influence of American eugenicists. This is history which has been forgotten, which is not on display at the Smithsonian museum, and is only mentioned by the Eugenics ARchive at Cold Spring Harbor. This book is of deep historical importance, and the author does a wonderful job of tying in the influence of the media and science on social movements. Pernick does an outstanding job of presenting the facts involved with as little emotional or critical writing, so the reader are free to develop their own opinions. The research and the restoration of these films (still pictures from the film are included) to the American public is a phenomenol job and this book should be on the list of recommendations for those in biomedical ethics, in medical care, disability rights activists, and film enthusiasts. It is only by remembering this history, and American participation in it, that we can even hope to avoid this from happening again, especially with the completion of the Human Genome Project and the push for physician assisted suicide, as well as the promotion of utilitarian ethics in a world of scarce medical resources...

This is a very well written and fascinating book that exposes a side of American history that is little remembered today, but was a dominant strain in American culture in the teens and twenties, and exerted a shadow influence on American public policy for decades thereafter, if not until the present day. I discovered this book in the course of doing research for a writing project in my third year of law school -- it was not entirely on-point, but so engaging I couldn't put it down! Has some very helpful illustrations, too. Highly recommended.

P.S. I don't understand the Amazon reviewer who criticized this book for its supposedly poor writing style. I am, alas, all too familiar with poor academic writing. Pernick, the author of this book, is first-rate, though admittedly, this is not a book for children.