Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18
DOCTORS DISCUSS
GRAVE. PROBLEM At
GH|CAG0 HOSPITAL
Mother Decides against Opera.
ton Which Would Save Her
Baby's Life-Infant
Born q Defective.

a defective mite whose mother on profess
sional advice decided It should not under
go an operation which probably would
save It's life lowered between life and
death at the German American hospital
here to-day. Death. II was said, was q
question only Of hours.
Meanwhile the subject OF the propriety
OF sacrificing the unpromising spark "
lifAin the infant, that II might not grow
upa burden to itself and a possible
menace to society. was the subject Of
widespread discussion. Dr. n. ].
Haiselden. on whose advice the mother
acted. was visited by many medical men
to-day and telephone calls alternately
accused and praised him. He remained
unaitered In his conviction that death
was the greatest blessing which could
be hoped for the infant
The principal physical deformities OF the
baby are the closure Of the intestinal
tract, paralysis Of the nerves Of the right
side OF the face, the absence OF the right
ear. blindness of one eye and malforma
ton Of its shoulders. Or. Haiselden, who
OBLIGATED at the birth, noted the abseno g
OF neck. The brain he found TO be
only slightly subnormal but the cranial
nerves were absent or undeveloped
III he grew up he would be a hopeless
cripple and would suffer from f,ts" said
the doctor.
would his mind be clear, Would his
soul be normally alive?" ne was asked.
That do not know. but the chances
are against IT,"
The questioner cited the case Of Roswell
Smith Of Chicago. a supposedly harmless
defective who after reaching the adult
stage killed little Hazel Weinstock. for
which he was hanged.
Another visitor remarked that Fyo-
dor Dostoesky. born a defective, who
sambled and had epileptic FITS. develop
Cd into a great novelist and one Of the
greatest Psychologists In Europe.
Most of the visitorsN treated the
baby which lay In a little bundle in
private room, as IL II were I'm.
canny. Or. Haiselden alone treated
It like a human being. He looked
| into the little twisted face and patted
Its cheek.
Tie will be dead before the night
10 over" he said.
1T would be a moral wrong" he
| continued. TO allow II to live. 1t
seems to me that q city which allows
a black hand outrage a week. a thou
sand Abortions a day and an automo-
bile accident every round Of the clock
is hardly in position to criticise a
man who holds that death Is prefer
able to life to q defective.
The telephone rang. DR.. Haiselden an.
swered and for Ave minutes talked with
woman She pleaded with him to save
the baby's life. When he returned from
the telephone he smiled grimly "She
called me Names" he said.
The little boundle stirred and fa!n,
cry was heard.
mo much longer to wait. little ons.
said the doctor gently. Then ne added
to those near him He's dying"
DR.. John B. Murphy. former presiden
; Of the American Medical association, and
physicians and professional men ant
women. including number Of clergy
men generally. took sides with T,r
Haiselden. But his CRITICS were Just a.
| numerous.
Or. Murphy said: The baby's life 4.
In the hands OF higher power Natur,
will provide the best remedy" Dr. Rosa,i,
NJ. LAdova commented: "A life 10 a NJ,
and l wish DR.. Haiselden would st ~
out and let some one else operate"
Clarence Dsrrow. the lawyer know.
also as a Humanitarian. remarked
"Chloroform unit children. Show then
the same mercy that u shown beast.
that are no longer fit to live"
Mrs. Anna Boiiinger. the mother. re-
mained nearby. Many times she asked
10 1t dead7" She remained steadfast ir
her belief that death was best for tn,
little one. She has three healthy children
and the plight Of the condemned one IS
'lieved to have been due to an attack
Of typhoid fever which the mother SUI.
fered recently.
The authorities took no action further
than to determine that no death certificate
should be issued until after an investisa-
ton b. the coroner
THE BABY DIES
Chicago. Nov. 1.-THE Boliinger baby
died tonight at tho German American
hospital