In the twentieth century, politics played a major role in how disease was perceived by the average person. Every aspect of disease became a political concern, and eugenics publicly took on an important role in public policy. Giving credence to eugenics, many Americans became more concerned about their own personal genetic traits and those they might pass on to their children. The society later became interested in eugenics on a more community-oriented basis. “The downfall of eugenics came when reformers began using it as a social control program, promoting government intervention and coercion in human reproduction.” Masturbation (known then as onanism) was even introduced to medical students in the early 20th century as a possible cause of degeneration. “Social, religious, and cultural fears and taboos, described as medical “opinion,” asserted that masturbation was harmful to the human body and psyche, not to mention sinful.” Doctors began to develop many sterilization methods during this time, and these methods were used to prevent these degenerates from reproducing. Henry Clay Sharp conducted his experiments in an Indiana prison by sterilizing people he called "chronic masturbators." Sharp truly believed he was making the world a better place and wanted to take it to the next level. The next step was to take his sterilization crusade before the Indiana state legislature to increase the scope of his practice to legally impose on other degenerates. sterilization. Up until that point, Sharp had operated without the law on his side. Sharp, in 1902, wrote: “I therefore suggest that we strive to… in the mid-paper… of the fifteenth century, governments used eugenics as an instrument by which they promoted propaganda and personal prejudice as scientific tools. Done. Eugenics innocently began to promote healthier living by breeding desired genetic traits together, but quickly went into decline by promoting social control over the population. Works Cited Carlson, Elof. "Social Origins of Eugenics". Archive of images on the American eugenics movement. Eugenics Archive. Network. 08 June 2011. .Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kampf: Zwei Bände in Einem Band. vol. 1. Bottom of the Hill, 1938. Print.Proctor, Robert. Racial hygiene: medicine under Nazism. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1988. Print. Sanger, Alexander. “Eugenics, Race, and Margaret Sanger Revisited: Reproductive Freedom for All?” Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy 22.2 (2007): 210-17. Press.