Even the mysterious mika operation of so primitive a race as the Australians has been supposed to be a method of controlling conception.

But the usual method, even of people highly advanced in culture, has been simpler.

They preferred to see the new-born infant before deciding whether it was likely to prove a credit to its parents or to the human race generally, and if it seemed not up to the standard they dealt with it accordingly.

At one time that was regarded as a cruel and even inhuman method.

To-day, when the most civilised nations of the world have devoted all their best energies to competitive slaughter, we may have learnt to view the matter differently.
If we can tolerate the wholesale murder and mutilation of the finest specimens of our race in the adult possession of all their aptitudes we cannot easily find anything to disapprove in the merciful disposal of the poorest specimens before they have even attained conscious possession of their senses.