New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-03
FATHER THANKS
GOD OVER DEATH
OF ROBERTS BABY
DR.. Haiselden Ready for
Crusade Against Help
ing Detectives Live.

Little Margaret Roberts abandoned
her problem to the doctors yesterday.
After ten painful days in a world in.o
which she entered as a misfit, death
settled her small, silent part in the
controversy over the question OF
operating or not operating.
Margaret's father-the father, also.
of two strapping boys-was bending
over her bed in the Babies Hospital. at
Fifty-ffth Street and Lexington Ave
nue., as her life futtered out A tear
from his own eyes splashed on the
coverlet as the blue eyes beneath him
closed. AS he Strengthened he drew n
deep breath of the cther-laden air.
Thank God" he said. "It's hard for
me. but I'm glad for her sake"
Along with her problem, the Roberts
baby left behind a likelihood that her
name may be written at the top of n
new page Of medical history. Her case,
following that of the Bollinger baby
in Chicago, has determined DR.. II. j.
Haiselden to embark on a countrywide
campaign against those ethics Of the
medical profession which DEGREES that,
regardless OF newborn child's physi-
ical deformities or mental deficiencies,
everything possible must be done to
prolong its life.
Would Limit Motherhood.
DR.. Haselden, whose refusal TO
operate on the Bollinger baby, has
made him the most discussed surgeon
in the country to-day, says he will
20 even further in his campaign.
Shortly after he had learned of Mar
garet Roberts's death he told a Trib-
une reporter he would also seek the
enactment OF measures whereby wom-
en- unfit to become mothers may be
prevented from having children.
"In my private practice have stood
for these principles for good many
years" said DR.. Haiselden, who is at
the Vanderbilt Hotel. "Now, | believe
the time is ripe to give them publicity.
The medical profession has been in
the habit of letting the problem slide
for the next generation to solve. In
Chicago we would say they have been
passing the buck
Zone generation Of medical men and
surgeons after another has slipped
from under, because that seemed the
easiest way. The day for sanity and
decision has come at last, with the
cases Of these two infant unfortunates
in the public eye.
"My own patients have known my
mind on such matters. That is why,
not so long ago, two of them came to
mo and asked me TO perform an opera
tion on one OF their daughters. What
I did was not only ethical, but hu-
manItarian. In similar case ! should
operate again. =,
ain the Bollinger case ! brought all
sorts of criticism upon my head-not
,be least Of II that OF the Catholic
Cburch. But Cardinal Gibbons, indi-
vidually. assured me | had done only
what was right.
Plan 10 Protect Public.
"Let's look the matter square in the
face. from the purely practical side.
There is no doubt about its being
economically wrong, even on tne par,
ents' say so, to prolong the NE OF
such a child by operating. ] believe
,heye should be law requiring the
nsrents of hopeless detectives to put
mn mn bond guaranteeing that should
,5ev have nothing to reave the child at
tbeir death IL at least would not have
10 aBut n he question of the child's
rights Is a bigger and broader one. IT
Is not fair TO permit child doomed to
suffering 10 live. On one slde we
hive the argument that the child de-
Continued on page 8. column