The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-04
EUTHANASIA.
THE sUFFERINGs OF THE VICTIMS OF THE Ho1-
YOKE DISASTER.

THE sUFTERINGs OF THE VICTIMS OF THE HoIl-
YOKE DISASTER.
TO THE EDITOR oE THE HERALD
The communication from a correspondent In
Merthyr Tydvtl In your impression OF the 2sth ult
betrays total Misrepresentation OF the circum
stances adverted to. Although In extreme cases,
rs during the Egyptian campaign OF the First
Napoleon some such expedient as that 70 which
your correspondent refers was said to have been
employed, and held by humanitarans 10 have
been just1able under the circumstances, ct this
is denied by Las Casas In his memoirs OF S..
Helena" he says Napoleon. after the battle or
Jana, simply asked the famous army surgeon
Larre whether, IN view Of the dreadful suffering
or tbs soldiers In the hospitals, It woHd not be
human TO administer opium TO the more aeeply
afrncted All students OF history are familiar with
the reply OF Larre to General Bertram -"My mis-.
sion Is to cure, not to kill.n Certainly 10 such
means we're had recourse TO by the physicians OF
nolyoke TO abrldge the suerings Of she victims OF
the Holyoke catastrophe. No practising ph ysiclan
OF this city, we venture 10 say, would have felt
disposed to have incurred the responsibility OF
such course.
The reference IL OF so grave character how
ever, in view OF the likely to be followed by
other practitioners upon the occurrence OF similar
cslsmities, that we deem population Of and
protest against the measures attributed 10 as OF
the greatest public interest and moment
The administration OF morphine to those who
were burned beyond any possible hope OF recovery
at the connagratien OF the French church, In this
city, was at ali times with due regard to the
sanctlties OF life. During the war there came
under the treatment OF one or the Signatures
hereto q case OF q soldier VINO had been snot
through the stomach the ball becoming llnbedded
in such a manner as 10 render EXTRACTION imprac-
toablo. Blood was freely vomlted, and severe
case Of peritonltis supervened. The patient was
placed under the influence OF mSrphine until there
were only four respiraton9 per minute. In this
condition the wounded man renamed, Win little
variation Tor, period oil eight days, and yet
finally recovered The administration OIL morphine
10 the unhappy victims Of the hOlyoke church
disaster was ia no IN sufficient quantities TO
afect respiration. In point OF lact many or those
who were treated are living to-day, although
ertevously mutilated. As 70 the nature or the IN
no one save those who were actually on the spoB
eould realize the horrors VI the situation.
Your correspondents has no doubt been misled
BY erroneous statemsnts which have found their
way into print as - the circumstances OF the mo
ment Of tse disaster here, and We readily ex-
cuso the errors into which abe has obviously been
betrayed. No one can fairly presume TO DO moro
deeply interested IN the progress Of thought In
every part OF the world on the subject Of euthan-
asiaJ' than physicians themselves, and no one IA
! called upon 20 pay more studieus or more hui
name attention 10 the subject. II IL were not
| that We feel inclined TO attribute the communIca.
ton mere TO incoTrect reports which have ap-
peared IN the public journals than to any other
! circumstances, we would incline 10 the opinion
that your correspondents rom Oylontha Cs tie. IN
wales tRot Bnglandl, is an embodiment OF those
tread.p 1. NJ. FUTILE, NJ. ID.
N. N. MlIIViEH, N. ID.
CHAS. q, CARPENTER NJ, ..
! HoLroKR July Z 1875.