Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-13
REJECT PLAN TO
KILL THE DYING
PHYSICIANS AND MINISTERS
SAY IDEA IS ABSURD
Proposition Advanced Before Meeting
of Humane Society in East Meets
With Little Favor in
Los Angeles

| Should injured person be conscious
until death in case of trainwrecks and
accidents?
Has anyone a right to take life to
alleviate suffering and save an individ-
ual from a few moments or hours of
pain?
These questions are being discussed
anew since the proposition of Miss
Ann S. Hall of Cincinnati was made
before the meeting of the Humane So
ciety of Philadelphia yesterday. Miss
Hall proposed a resolution legalizing
the administration of anaesthetics to
persons dying in agony in cases Of
railroad wrecks and those who are
dying slowly from incurable diseases.
Miss Hall also puts forth the PROPOSE
tion that in case a person is In great
suffering and that death is inevitable,
that she would not hesitate to shoot
such a person through a high sense of
humanitarianisn.
When interviewed yesterday the lead
ing physicians of Los Angeles spoke
in high disfavor of such a proposition.
They agreed that it would be almost
an impossibility under such circun-
stances to know when a person was
mortally injured and that an anaes-
thetic administered at such a time
might hasten death when 1t might 9TH
erWise be aVerted. 1t was asserted that
it had been proven by scientific re-
search that death Is absolutely painless
in ninety per cent of cases. In such
cases where there seems to be agony,
there may be superficial writhing and
groans, while the patient in reality is
unconscious of pain. 1t seems to be the
opinion of most of the physicians that
such a course would do more harm
than good, and in no case should an
anaesthetic be administered but by a
competent physician.
CIergymen Not Agreed
The clergymen differ in regard to
the question, some saying that in the
cause of humanity it. might be wise.
Others state that it would be absolute
ly against the laws of religion to
either dim the intellect at the dying
moments or in any case to put a
person to death.
DR.. P. G. Cotter said:
"An anaesthetic is a double-edged
sword-all right when used properly
and all wrong when used improperly.
1 wouldn't want to trust my life to
an inexperienced person and do not
think it right to submit any human
life to deadly anaesthetic under such
conditions. Morphine seems to be q
more sensible remedy in such cases.
In my experience I have found the
majority of dying persons in no pain.
If limb is cut off in an accident and
there is profuse bleeding, there Is no
pain. Death as a general thing is a
painless proposition-more like going
to sleep, and there seems to be no need
of anaesthetics in such cases. I think
the proposition of Miss Hall is abso-
lutely unwarranted and one that COM
mon-sensed people will not indorse
Often even skilled physicians think
person is about to die when it is not
the case. If that is so, how is such a
question to be decided in excitement ty
perhaps inexperienced persons?
Duty Is to ProIong Life
"The duty of a physician is to pro-
long life and alleviate suffering" said
DR.. Joseph King. mo human agency
can tell until the patient is dead. Many
people who look as though dying even
to experienced eyes recover and are
useful citizens. Much depends upon
the vitality of the patient. Many times
an injured person thinks himself NOR
tally injured, when in fact it is not
serious at ALL"
Coroner Trout stated that he thought
if Miss Hall had experienced the pains
of neuralgia as bad as he himself had,
she would not advocate such a law. He
also stated that to his mind it was
contrary to all religion. He said:
ST do not think death is justifiable
in any case. Why, man might want
that time in which to repent. 1 would
rather suffer here few minutes thar
in the long hereafter
DR.. E. A. Bryant said he did not
think such law could be passed in
any country. 'It is absolutely alb
surd," said the doctor. IF you have
an incurable disease, give other drugs"
DR.. J. H. Keller of the county hos
pital considered that in cases of ex-
treme pain it was justifiable to admin
lister such drugs, but that morphine
was considered the thing to use.
DIR. Frank Gordon said, to his mind,
1t was not practicable. and that in no
case should an anaesthetic be admin
physician, and then only after a care
full examination.
Plan Rightly Rejected
Rt. Rev. Mg. Harnett, v. G., was
firm in his opinion that an anaesthetic
should not be administered in cases
where death seems imminent. He
said:
'I think the proposition was rejected
with good sense. To certain extent,
eternity depends upon the condition of
the soul at the hour of death. When
1 am called to sick bed, / always
urge the physicians not to administer
drugs if there seems to be imminent.
danger. If God leaves reason, it
should be unimpaired by human
agency. Even in extreme cases in
train wrecks, do not think it justi-
fable to put a person to death to al
leviate suffering. l would consider
such a person a murderer Murder is
justihable only in one instance-cap-
ital punishment, when it is necessary
for the very existence of society. It
is against the rule of the Catholic
church to administer an opiate at the