Imperial Valley Press

NEW YORK, May 1. (U.P.) Childless married couples and young men sought information today regarding New York's test-tube babies and physicians discussed the possibility of a central laboratory to further the practice of artificial impregnation.

The interest was aroused yesterday by disclosure that a dozen test tube babies live in New York.

A proposal for a clinic, it was learned, was placed before the marriage consultation center of the Community church several months ago and met with the support of at least one of its medical directors.

A clinic, it was pointed out at the time would reduce the cost of guaranteed sperm for artificial impregnation and gradually build up a corps of certified donors.

Dr. Frances Seymour woman specialist, who has brought 13 test tube babies into the world in the past two years, also approved the idea.

"It is practical," she said. "It would save many childless families from unhappiness and even divorce; and by making the public accustomed to artificial impregnation would make it easier for unmarried women to have eugenic babies."

Dr. Iago Galdston of the Academy of Medicine said that one of the foremost gynecologists of the country had considered the idea but had given it up because of legal and other difficulties.

The marriage consultation center physician said a clinic would be especially valuable in investigating the forebears of a donor. He said he had received requests for guaranteed sperm and in all cases had required the husband of the woman to sign a statement of consent reading:

"This is to certify that of my own free will and volition I have requested Dr. _____ to artificially inseminate my wife with the sperm of a male to be selected by him.

This request has been made with the full knowledge of my wife and gives Dr. _____ full authority to do so.

"Since it is not possible for me to procreate I believe that our mutual happiness and the well being of my wife will be best served by her being artificially inseminated.

Whatever offspring will result from this treatment will be fully accepted by me as my own."

The physician also pointed out that sperm has been preserved in good condition for nearly a week and suggested that a clinic devoted to scientific investigation might discover means of keeping it longer, perhaps even for years.

This possibility carried to its most fantastic extreme would permit civilization to preserve the sperm of geniuses and allow women to have eugenic children by them posthumously.