South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-20
CHICAGO DOCTOR
ACT IS APPROVED
Experts Hold That Society Has
Right to Refuse Life to
Defective Infant.

CHICAGO. Nov. ga jury Of Chi
oago physicians decided Friday night
that society has the right 10 refuse
life to a baby born hopelessly de-
fective.
DR.. Henry J. Haiselden was exon
Grated from blame for deliberately
permitting the death OF Baby Bollin-
ger after deciding that the child, II
allowed TO live, would bs dooe1ed to
a life Of misery and uselsssoezx
Yet, while completely etprerating
the physician. the Jury did not agree
With him in this specific Bollinger
case. holding that the RQllinger ban
was not sufficiently defective To jus
tify condemnation to death.
The right OF society 10 forfeit the
life OF a defective baby. although rec
ognized by the jury, carries with it
.recolnm eudatiun Of great care in its
exercise The right should not b
exercised hereafter, it is recommend
ed. on the basis OF one physician
Judgment There should be a CON
sultatiOn Of physicians. Then, If the
judgment OF one Is affirmed by L
others, the baby should be permitted
to die.
Verdict of Physicians.
Following is the verdict:
/. We found from the evidence
presented and from personal invest-
cations that Allen Bollinger died from
the effects OF imperforate anus.
2. The essential malfOrmations Of
the body Of Allen Bollinger were i'm
perforate anus, fusion of the two kid
neys into ore located on the left side
and with a single ureter; absence of
the right external ear and external
auditory canal. and the defective de-
velopment of the skin Of the shout
ders, especially the right causing al
apparent shortening Of the neck.
,. The acquired pathological con-
ditiOns were small extradural hemOrr-
hayes in the spinal canal Small 81
pleural hemorrhages, discharge
from the nose, and the cOroners ply
sician reports an area of hemOrrhages
in the tianeter in the left sylvan fis-
sure
4. We believe that a prompt oper-
alton would have prolonged anC
saved the life Of the child
3. We find no evidence from the
physical defects that the child -woulf
have been mentally or morally de
fective.
s. Several OF the physical defect,
might have been improved by plasti
operation.
Conscience Surgeons Guide.
7. We believe that morally ar
officially a surgeon is fully within his
rights in refusing to perform any
operation which his conscience Will
not sanction. We find no reason to
believe that the parents of Allen Boil
linger were deprived Of the privilege
of consultation
s. We recommend strongly that in
all doubtful cases Of this character.
consultation of two or more sur
geons of known reputation for skill,
ethical standing and broad experience
should decide upon the advisability or
inadvissbillty Of operating measures.
We believe that the physicians duty
is 10 relieve suffering and TO save and
prolong life
City attorneys during the morning
hours had gone through the statute
books carefully and were convinced
that DR.. Haiselden was entirely with
IN the province OF the law
Responsibility on Parents.
The burden Of responsibility in the
death of Baby BOlhnger is thus
placed directly upon the shoulders Of
the parents, who according to the
testimony of Or. Clementina Serviss
attending Mrs. Bollinger at the birth.
begged that the child be allowed to
die.
A Copy of the jury's verdict is to
be sent for Endorsement 20 the next
meeting OF the Chicago Medical So
ciety.
Far-reaching results are expected
from Fridays action. Physicians, the
coroner and eugenists believe that a
consulting board Will be established in
Chicago Immediately upon recon-
mendatiOn OF the local medical society
no cd
in all other cities in the state, and
eventually In other states. Legislation
throughout the United states should
follow, according to Coroner Holt
man.
tt is the most far-reaching event
that has taken place in the world or
science for decades, according 10 au-