Good news! Exterminating Poverty: The incredible true story of the eugenic plan to get rid of the poor and the Scottish doctor who fought against it is now available for pre-order on Kindle.
The book tells the story of the events surrounding the Stopes v Sutherland libel trial of 1923 for the first time and, following its publication, the biographies of Dr Marie Stopes will need to be revised in relation to the case. Among the explosive revelations of the book are:
- the bravery of Dr Halliday Sutherland in fighting a case on principle alone, given he had no money for it.
- the eugenists who viewed tuberculosis as a rough but effective way to kill those they deemed to be inferior and who thought that the cure of TB (a disease of poverty that killed 70,000 each year) would be a “national calamity”.
- the eugenic aims of Dr Stopes’ Society for Constructive Birth Control and Racial Progress, and her campaigning for the compulsory sterilization of “undesirables”.
- the courageous leadership of Cardinal Bourne to ensure that Dr Sutherland was supported by the Roman Catholic Church.
- the dangerous nature of the “Gold Pin” and its role in the case in the High Court.
- Dr Stopes’ disastrous (and, given she was the plaintiff, unnecessary) testimony in the High Court.
- Dr Stopes’ extensive commercial dealings with a manufacturer of contraceptives and her efforts to conceal this activity, which led to…
- the doctoring* of witness statements, which led to…
- the lies told in the High Court.
- Dr Sutherland’s uncannily accurate prediction of the impact that Dr Stopes’ agenda would have on the world in which we live today.
- the policy of crypto-eugenics (literally: “secret eugenics”) adopted by the Eugenics Society after World War II to enable their work to continue today.
The book includes around 19 photographs, many of which are from Dr Sutherland’s personal papers and which are publicised for the first time. The Kindle edition will be published on 15th January and the amazon.com paperback edition on 25th January 2020.
A website, exterminatingpovertybook.com, gives further information about the book and includes photographs, audio and other resources.
Let me know if you have any questions using the “contact” page. I hope you enjoy the book and I will be very grateful if you took the time to write a review.
Mark H. Sutherland
Curator hallidaysutherland.com (and from 15th January 2020 author of Exterminating Poverty).
* given that many of the witnesses for both sides were doctors, I accept that this pun is (no other word for it) pathetic. I put it here so that you didn’t have to read it in the book… I promise!
