ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
Sitt,Sir Angus Watson seems to be so blinded by his moral passions as to have lost all sight of elementary .principles of logic. He makes an attempt to arouse prejudice against A.I.D. by the use of such phrases as "this revolting practice " and this " bestial and unsavoury. subject," besides the unnecessary reference to " pagan Russia and Germany." What are the facts?
In the first place, the danger of a • married man never knowing if his child is his own is greatly exaggerated. How many wives are going to resort to this practice without informing their hus bands? And surely it is a simple matter to make mutual consent a necessary . precedent condition? Neither is there any real basis for the picture of distracted mothers wondering as to the true identity of the fathers of their children. In the first place, if the mother was willing, why should she torment herself in this way? Besides, the donor is really no more than partly the father in act, and plays a similar part to that of a .doctor performing a minor operation to cure sterility. Neither is adoption a completely satisfactory method for satisfying the -maternal instinct ; to most women the actual process of childbirth is instinctively desired, and they should not be deprived of this supreme experience because of alight physical impediments.
Sir Angus Watson complains that our " pseudo-scientists " (?) " are offending the laws which govern creation" by introducing the "methods of the stockyard." There is no reason to assume that the practice would become prevalent, and surely Sir Angus realises that the history of civilisa- tion is very largely the result of gradually growing control over the " laws of creation." Of course there is a case against AID., and there will have to be many safeguards against abuse. Nevertheless Sir Angus Watson's letter seems to be a perfect example of how not to present the case. How, for example would he justify the making of the process illegal, on grounds other than superstition? Is A.I.D., if permitted under certain conditions, among which would be the mutual consent of all parties concerned, a crime against either person or property?—I am, yours. faithfully,
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