The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-08-06
\ X + = X X X X * X X
y Right to Kill *
Ones Self y
> According to Professor of Chem. .
> istry Person With Incurable =
Disease Should Be Allowed 3
a Painless Death. =
\: * * =; = Il. ;. ~ u ~. Il.

(New York American.)
If a person is ill with an incurab HE
dlsease, should he commit suicide?
That question has long troubled
doctors, ministers and those concern
ed with moral law.
DIR. William OSWALD the celebrated
professor of chemistry in the Univer-
slty of Leipzig is the authority for the
statement that a painless death is
proper and right if the patient is an
lncurable invalid and wishes to die.
DR.. OSWALD has published in Das
Monistische ~Jahrundert a curious plea
Tor the right of dying persons to COM
init suicide.
In connection with Prof. Haeckel of
lena. Prof. OSWALD is the leader of
inc Monist movement. He recently
advocated the establishment Of Monist
monastries where members of the
Monlst persuasion could retire from
the world.
In an article written by Prof. Ost-
valid he prints, with his approval, a
sketch written by a dying Monist nam
ed Roland Gerkan. This sketch is.
IN substance. that incurables shall
have the right to take their W life,
and that they should have the right
OF euthanasia or easy death. This
right shall be granted to an invalid
only after 1t has been made the sub
ject Of a petition by the sick person
to the judicial authorities.
Prof. OSWALD believes, like Roland
Gerkan, that euthanasia is the right Of
every incurable. He believes, too, that
an incurable need not commit easy
suicide unless he wishes, but that If
he is suffering and knows thai there
is no relief for him and that he must
c11 ffo~ Pn,r xraaNs L. L.. 4~t{~1. ~s~f4k
both medically and morally for him
to commit suicide.
This is the way the suicide would
be arranged, according to Prof. Ost-
valid, If 1t were brought into use: A
patient, suffering extreme pain and
knowing that his death wal only a
matter Of time. wishes to die and end
his suffering. He then writes a petit
ton to the authorities. asking for the
right Of euthanasia.
When the petition Is received by the
authorities they would investigate the
case. Three physicians. two Of them
specialists, would form the Investigate
ing committee.
The physicians on the committee
would make their offlcial investigation
not later than n week after the re-
ceipt Of the petition. The committee
would have to decide whether there
was any CHdUCe 1OT Iue ISCONeIy Vi
the patient. II. on consultation. the
committee decides that the patient
is incurable. is suffering greatly. and
has nothing to make life worth living
they grant him the right of eutha-
nasia. whoever painlessly kills . per-
son who has received this right In ex-
empt from punishment.
But, II euthanasia be effected with
out the express wish of the sick per-
son, it is a crime punishable with pc
nal servitude.
The great dimculty. Of course. in
carrying out Prof. Ostwald's plan. is
that they shock our traditional no.
tons Of humanity and seem opposed
to the religious and moral laws Of q
civilized country. DR.. Ostwald says,
however. that It IL both moral ana hu.
name, and that even now some noted
physicians believe In killing their pa.
tents who have incurable diseases and