New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-03
WOULD use DOOMED
MEN TO Aid SCIENCE
Test New Drugs and Surgl-
cal Operations on Them,
Urges J. S. Durand.
mo MORE CRUEL THAN
LIFE IMPRISONMENT"
Substitution for Death Penalty
Suggested at Medical Juris'
prudence Meeting.

John $. Durand. lawyer. of 81 Fulton
st speaking before the American Assoc
citation of Medical Jurisprudence at the
Academy OF Medicine yesterday aoVo-
Gated the abolition of the death penalty
and the substitution Of a state laboratory
I'm which persons condemned 20 death
might be used for experiments with ne"
drugs and surgical operations
"Tboy would be used as guinea pigs are
now used" said Mr. Durand 20 Tribune
reporter after the meeting.
"A Scientific Substitute for the Death
Penalty" was the subject Of Mr.. Durand
paper
"Irnder present conditions when society
forreIts the life Of a criminal, said MI
Ut,raud. "he is put 20 death usually by
hanging or electricity, and much OF gredt
value has been learned as TO the erect OF
electric currents Of high voltage upon
tho human system; but there Is almost
l,mitiess field Of research as to the erect
Of various medicines upon the human
body and as TO the possibility OF so coi-
trolling It's functions that operations no"
considered impossible Of performance
may become a matter of everyday occur
renee.
New Tests on Human Beings
I'm the medical field new drugs are be-
ing discovered and new serums prepared
the effects of which upon the human sys-
tom arc vet 10 be determined. Much
might also be learned as TO the effect OF
many drugs now in use on the blood OF
human beings. and as TO the various pro-
cesses Of digestion and assimilation
with a properly devised machine vari-
Gus poisons could be introduced directly
into the blood and their effects noted
while the blood itself is passing through
glass or other transparent tubes as living
blood. the small portion so treated being
switched out Of the artificial circulatory
system and not returned to the body. An
appropriate moving picture camera, prop
erlv adjusted. would record the various
changes in the composition of the blood
and such a camera would record the
changes caused by drugs administered
internally.
How much more scientific. therefore,
instead of blotting out a life that is for
felt 10 the state. to utilize that life IN
the interest of science and for the pur-
nose OF assisting man in his fight against
disease and for the relief of human suf-
fering
Startling. YOU will say perhaps cruel.
Yes. but is It not cruel to put man on
the galows or in the electric chair and
take his life 10 no purpose other than TO
deter others from the commission of the
crime Of which he has been convicted
Ard in states where there is no capital
punishment, is 1t not cruel TO deprive a
man Of his liberty so long as he shall
live? When we speak of punishment. we
must differentiate between cruelty which
Is wanton and the infiiction Of suffering
for iustifable end.
Tests by Scientists Only.
"Of course. the investigations to be
made would have 10 be in the hands OF
men of the highest standing. Each test
would have to stand alone. and an appli-
cation for permission to make it must be
made I'm writing. describing fully what is
proposed to he done
~Vivisection certainly would not be per
mitted, but the commission should, after
careful investigation decide the proper
limits within which tests should be al
lowed. always bearing in mind that
nothing calculated TO inhict torture or
probably calculated 10 cause death
should be permitted. This would ade-
ouately protect the prisoner from suffer
ing and prevent public criticism on hu-
manitarian grounds.
"It remains only 10 consider whether or
not such q plan would infringe the con
stitutional rights of the prisoner under
that clause of the federal and state con-
situations which forbid the infiiction OF
cruel and unusual punishments."
could you obtain such a law" asked
Judge Harry V. Osborne, of New jersey,
Public sentiment would be against il.
Charles \. Boston read a paper on
sterilization Laws" ground that was
covered from the medical viewpoint by
Dr A. r. Gallant Or. l.. f. Bishop had
paper on "Arterio- Schlerosis." Theodore
Sutro asked. do professional ethics re-
quire a physician to disclose TO the pa
tient an unfavorable prognosis?" those
answering being of the opinion that a
physician should tell the truth. but not
necessarily 10 the extent that his patient
be sometimes frightened. DR.. Franh
Wade Robertson. former superintendent
Of Elmira. spoke on Problems OF Psy-
chiatry and Penology."
Discussing the latter paper. Or. Arthur
G. Brush. Of Brooklyn, criticised the
school system OF to-day, which he said
did not inculcate discipline, but did turn
out pupils with only a smattering OF
knowledge.
Boys" he said. are less wild. but
more vicious. | speak now of the Brook
lyn Polytechnic There never was time
when the boys OF that school were al
vicious as they are to-day"
After the various papers Charles 4
Boston was elected president OF the asso-
citation Last evening the members dinec
al the Care des BeauXArts.