Letter, Lawrence C. Jones to James W. McDermott: a machine readable edition Lawrence C. Jones Creation of machine-readable version: Nancy Gallagher Additional scanning and OCR: Ben Schacher Conversion to TEI.2-conformant markup: Mary Margaret Welch Additional markup by: Hope Greenberg, Shane Barney ca. 5 kilobytes University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont USA

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 July/2000 Letter, Lawrence C. Jones to James W. McDermott Biennial Report of the Attorney General Lawrence C. Jones

December 2, 1936

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 Decmber 2, 1936 Jones, Lawrence C. Attorney General Opinion on Sterilization Biennial Report of the Attorney General p. 387 December 2, 1936
December 2, 1936 Mr. James W. McDermott, Vermont State Prison, Windsor, Vermont.
Dear Warden:

I acknowledge receipt of your letter of November 25th in which you state that you have several men of normal mind in your institution who have voluntarily requested operations for sterilization, known as the operation of vasectomy.

Section 5438 of the Public Laws provides that it shall be the policy of the State to prevent procreation of idiots, imbeciles, feeble‐minded or insane persons, when the public welfare, and the welfare of idiots, imbeciles, feeble‐minded or insane persons likely to procreate can be improved, by voluntary sterilization as provided by Chapter 225 of the Public Laws. The statute does not contemplate the sterilization of normal persons, but only of idiots, imbeciles, feeble‐minded or insane persons. Before this operation can be performed, at State expense, two physicians and surgeons, legally qualified to practice in this State, must examine the person, resident of this State, and certify under oath, among other facts, that such person is an idiot, imbecile, feeble‐minded or insane person likely to procreate idiots if not sexually sterilized, as provided by Section 5439 of the Public Laws.

I am enclosing for your files a form of certificate used in this State in connection with the voluntary sterilization of such persons and have forwarded several blanks under separate cover.

In view of the fact that these inmates of your institution, who desire the operation known as vasectomy, are of normal mind, it is my opinion and I so advise that the operation should not be performed at State expense even though they voluntarily request the same.

Very truly yours, LAWRENCE C. JONES, Attorney General.