The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-10-18
''HELP|NC TO DIE"
While There is Life There
is Hope.
"MedIcus" Says Il Is tire Duty OF a
Physician TO Proiong Life
In All Cases.
Honolulu. oct. Is. lsse.

Honolulu. Oct Is. 1889.
Editor Pacific Commercial Advert |
ser.-Dear Sir: In your issue 81 Octo-
Der lis an editorial, Helping To Die"
/ would like to say a few words ON this
subject. Although ! happen to be- one
OF the younger physicians. and eju-
Gated in n school noted for the
breadth OF its education. ! cannot say
I am free from the old traditions and
prejulices,' If such is indicated 10y q
reluctance to- taking human life.
There may Ice cases where sufferers
form COmpacts with their physicians
to The effect that IL their disease be-
come unbearabls he will take their
life" But what would compact
made with such one be worth? 4
physician who makes such a compact
has clearly lost all recollection OF the
oath administered to- him before his
university granted him his diplomas.
II he can be made To break his first
compact, l don't see how much reliance
can Dc placed upon his keeping the
second. Furthermore, so long as the
medical profession is made up Of hu-
man beings, with all their frailties and
liability to err, would strongly dep
recats this new-fangled proposition
that strikes 1T once against the snags
and prsjudices of habit"
To say that such a course does 50
strike, is giving voice to- something
l. 10
ter to have Il habit with snags and
prejudices than one that lays its pos
SCISSOR open tn III. suspicion of crimi-
nal actions.
You say: Who can now define the
power which one Tightfully has over
his own lie, to preserve or destroy IL.
| or delegate the power to others tn de-
strOy. AZ seems to Inc that after read
Ing your editorial one would not feel
| il would y. 4 difficult task to find one.
At least, in our community, and Conse-
que1tly ] would ask: Are not the sup
poTtsTs of your argument taking unto
themselves the very power they scorn
the Old-fashioBcd individuals for pos
! seSsing?
But whatever may he said from the
| theoretical point 81 view. there still
remains the practical side. which Is
| naturally by far the more serious one
! and the question in practice devolyes
upon the physician to decide. Might
| l ask what are the exact conditions
that would Justify n physician in TAX
| ing life? When there is no hope.
| seems 20 be the apparent answer.
But when IS that? Any physician
| knows the truth OF the old saying.
While there is life there is hope" or
else are We To take II when the patient
] is suffering extreme pain and there Is
apparently no hope Of his living? The
most common cause of such a Condi-
| ton = undoubtedly cancer, and would
| 4 physician be- justified in taking life
| under such circumstances. when n
cure for cancer is on the verge OF dis
covsry? IL is rare that such pain can
not BE Gllsyiated.
Are We 10 take Il when a person is
| dying by inches from consumption.
when cases are on record of cure re-
| sultins from collapse OF the lung due
to psrfCratiOn of the pleura?
| Are We to take il when a person Is
| crippled for life. because they will be
a burden 10 themselves and others
when 1t IL common enough to- find such
crippl"s develop n mental capacity be-
You'd the ordinary?
Should We take the life of imbeCiIes
or idiots, when CranieCtomy has re-
Gently made mary Of them rational he
| inss?
| When are We 10 take g? Not until
mortal man acquires the gift OF seems
into the future, and he has not yet at.
tanned that attribute-at least. I have
not heard of IL.
The eases that cannot be alleviatet
by the judicious use OF proper remedie:
are 30 very few and far between thai
il = better 10 let ten such cases bear
Their burden than to take the life %
one VINO. Tor all We know. might hav,
recovered
Then again, are We to do II ON oul
own initiative or If the patient ask.
us. All me deal men have had eNpe
rienC.s in which the patient ha,
begged Of them something to- enc
their life and yet many such have
recovered.
No. indeed, Mr.. Editor. do not ssGdl,
the medical profession with any NOR,
care and worry than IL bears right now
They are sufficient without this addi
tioDl burden. The medical fraternit!
are not ct all anxious that the old say
ing, licensed to kill" should beCom
fact and not metaphor.
Thanking you for your space. I an
MEDICUS. JR.