The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-14
THE ETHICS OF SUICIDE.


GREE WITH FELIX ADLER
an x,sht 20 Fat Dyaas Brutes ous or
TssIr MISERY. bat Poisoaing 1nearabls
M,usu suRersrs 10 Not TO be Thought or
=, TEE BUN o. Aug 9 was printed . sum-
~, OF a lecture delivered By Prof Felix
aa,., an wednesday before the School OF EthI-
-, culture at Plymouth. Mass. In that address
o., Adler said that there were cases where
.ricds was justifable. He also said he thought
nat tho chronic invalid should hold out IS
,ons A. thers IL tho slightest chance OF recov-
-, He believed, though. that there were
amss whom the agonies should b ended. and
~. sufYerer should be allowed to depart In
800 IL this Idea were carried out he deemed
IL following precautions to be sufficient:
AN official body designated by tho State.
.o,.istine. sny. OF three Judges OF the Supreme
Court and OF three eminent physicians. should
"A summoned in every case to the bedside OF
,hs sufYeler. and II this council be unanimous
!, A. the opinion that there IL no reasonable
hops OF recovery. the patient should DO al
nrad TO receive the cup Of relief at the hands
a, his attending physician. Some such device
"A this was suggested moro than 800 years
soo BY Sir Thomas More In his Utopia"
Yesterday a sun reporter talked to Judges
and physicians about this proposition.
II believe" said Judge Roger A. Pryor.
shat only the power that gives lifs-God-
,hould takeit away. When God Indicates the
moral government Of tho world It will be
dime enough to consider Prof. Adler's plan.
"suicidss have always boon regarded -
criminals" said Judge McAdam Of the su-
n.ror Court and tho old plan was to bury .
suIoids at the cross roads with stake through
Ma body. Christian burial was denied to SUE
eides and It Ia with difficulty that they can
INV 0nd interment in any we'll regulated cem.
stery The crelnatories would probably MOI
object. There Ia no justification In law or
morals for suicide. This broad abatement
m,k,s details unnecessary. He that takes
n. infnitesmRl spark Of life from q
human being. exssp, BY LEGAL means.
rot S and il is Idle Tor anyone 70 attemrt 70 70.
iuts them. / have tho highest respect Tor
Prot With whom qnioun am ,bIeHsr yyo sS
high order. but his views in reference to ap;;
to be put out Of his suffer ng ara i'm practiea.
Sis and would never b warranted BY the Leg.
ruOs SnR S Sa aess Is nsaSs
only in cases o. he brute creation. scientific
th"ught has not AS. Jet reached that
:S' that suw wssd b. nss'' Ws,. "op 'nses
70 ths benefits Of T. and to dspsi,ss
From ny sDs ASss = sssas
10: afG Rs shss ' Tss
ess MU s"yssias urse;ics6is 10 il Sir
% v0 Ml naSs 94'3 Bsn 81 .S Snf
Court had nothing to say in support OF Prof.
Aa' Msn pht sSs 90 often almost miraoulously
been rescued from the grave Judge O'Brien
tod tho repor or. that L ssems to b hard to
S:yond r.e t Even When there is no dOubs
soa Nv viii no, rscoSor and that thu! is 10
believe sasv that the nvaiids life should be taken
We have institutions whore the incurably sick
ps and eocs days =. ss . ss 81
When was in college ! know q lay brother
sursSie disc ase. aud whose sufYerines for man n
months were intense. Ono day he told me that
b 81: h% st Elm
~ ssintl. man Of bis sunsiinss would have
NEEDLES! men" said DR.: E c. spi.zka. can
never toll for certainty when patient Is be.
s s'i .ss1
6E disease may BE-, II is the province Of The
and TO inspire him with confidence. II Prof
AdeTe propagation were in vogue physicians
msreIiul. hut which might become meroenary.
cause he Is in agony. and. to the minds Of
learned men. beyond recovery In their agony
put out q their misery. We must remember:
what DO says when he is suffering. 10
granted; As a physicisn ! would not take q
mans lifs. As man might act differently.
II ispd friend were pursued by Apaehe.;
that escape from the fehds was impossible.
would KIN him II he asked me to dose. I
think Prof. Adler is doing more harm than
good; Not one person IN hundred under.
brilliant theories OF his"
DR.. e. DE- +. smith. the partner OF Dr. Allan
MoLane Hamilton. viewed the matter in q
light similar 70 that Of pr: spitzka IS far as
81 Theoretically Il may be very nice to be-
mercilully put out OF his agony by death. I
don't believe. though: that there Is ply sician
permitted. While there's life there's hone, I
proposition"