Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 82.djvu/20

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York is about 10,000. According to the figures of the last census, 30 per cent, of the feeble-minded children in the general population throughout the country are the progeny of aliens or naturalized citizens. Thus the presence of 3,000 of New York's feeble-minded children can safely be laid to immigration. These figures show the extreme necessity of careful medical inspection of immigrants. But there are many complicating factors. It is very difficult to recognize many types of insanity. It is almost impossible to detect feeble-mindedness in infants and young children. Yet in spite of this, the medical officers at Ellis Island are doing thorough and effective work, and do not at all deserve the ignorant criticism of those unfamiliar with the difficulties of that work.

A point where criticism is unfortunately valid is in the matter of the deportation of aliens who within three years after landing show themselves subject to any of those conditions which the law excludes, or who become public charges from any cause, said condition or cause