Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-11-19
IS PHYSICIAN
LIABLE FOR
CH.|LD's 4 |. | DEATH?
The Defective Bollinger Baby
Was Allowed to Die of
Starvation.
THE CORONER Will
INVESTIGATE CASE
Mother of Child Refused on Ad-
vice of Doctor, TO Have Op-
Grafton Performed.

4 1s. .
Chicago, Nov. ~ The Bollinger
baby, defective mite, whose motler,
on professional advice, decided it
should not undergo, al operation,
which probably would have saved it's
life, died at the German American
hospital tonight. While it lowered be-
tween life and death today, the sub
ject of tie prop.lety OF sacrificing the
unpromising spark OF life in the infan;
that it might grow up burden to It.
self and a possible menace to society,
was the subject OF widespread discus
sion.
Advised Against Saving Child.
Dr. H. J. Haiselden. on whose ad-
vice the mother acted, was visited
by many medical men today, and tele.
phone calls alternately Of accusations
and praises. He remained unaltered
in his conviction that death was the
greatest blessing, that could be hoped
for the infant.
A Monstrosity. .. e.,
The principal physical deformities
of the baby were the closure of the
intestinal tract, paralysis of the nerve
of tAe right side Of the face, the
absence of the right ear, blindness of
one eye and malformation of it's
shoulder.
Would Be Morally Wrong.
1T would be moral wrong" Dr.
-. Haiselden said,s TO allow 1t TO
live. It seems to me that q city which
allows black hand outrage every
day, thousand abortions cay and
an automobile accident every rount.
of the clock is hardly in a position
to criticize a man who holds that
death is preferable to life to the ae-
fective." e.
Darrow Says "chIoroform Him"
Clarence 'Darrow, the lawyer, known
also as a humanitarian, remarked:
."Chloroform unfit children. Show
them the same mercy that is shown to
beasts that are no longer fit to live"
Mother Stood BY Doctor.
Mrs. Anna Bollinger, the mother,
had remained steadfast In her BELIEF
that death was best for the little one.
She has three healthy children an:
the plight of the condemned one Is
believed to hay been due 10 an attac',
of typhoid fever which the mother sui
fered recently. i
Coroner TO Investigate Case.
The authorities took no action fur
ther than to determine That no death
certificate should Toe issued until after
an investigation by the coroner.
Here are the opinions of physicians
and surgeons, Of woman leaders. of
judges and others on society's right
to eliminate the hopelessly weak:
Dr.. John IB. Murphy: 81 think ma
ture handles such cases very we'll
The rule is that the child dies, if life
should not remain. wouldn't feel
justified in contributing to a death.
We have no right to form a judgment
on the right of an infant to live or
die. Life in that respect Is in the
hands of o Power superior to ours"
Dr.. Charles 3. Younger: ut is the
duty of a physician to prolong life and
make it happier in all cases. Physi-
clans have no more right to take a
life than any one else. Their duty is
to exercise all their skill to improve
physical conditions of life. If they
do not wish to do this, they should
turn the case over to another. De-
formity, while terrible thing, is not
a sufficient cause for ordering death.
Many deformed writer's have lived to
scatter happiness to millions and re-
ceive great happiness in life them.
selves
Coroner Hoffman: IF it We're my
child l would do all I could to save !
Continued on Page Three)