Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-18
Operation Might SaUe
Life, but Child Would
Be Burden to Self and
Menace to Societu.

CHICAGO. November i7.-The Boil
niger baby, defective mite whose
shouid not undergo an operation. which
probably would save it's life. hovered
between life and death at the German
American Hospital here to-day. Death
came early Tonight just after being
christcned
The water of baptism ;rcklcd
through the scant brown hair Of the
enid. while Science. Withholding the
easy gift OF life. stood by waiting:
"hile the mother. weeping in her he'd
assented TO the death penalty: while
the coroner, whose concern is not with
the living. waited for the. end
John. l baptize thee in the name of
the Father. of the Son and OF the Holy
Ghost"
AS the words were spoken BY a wet
eyed woman. Miss Catherine !. V.
Walsh. Of the Catholic Church Of -,
Anne de Brighton. the baby ouictcd
down in iiis crib. The dulln.ss of deotb
was In the eyes. Miss Walsh saw and
added little prayer
God grant that this child's life shall
not have been lived in vain
rHopRIETf Is SUBJECT
OF WIDE DISCUSSION
Meanwhilc the subject Of tho pro
priety of sacrificing the unpromisng
spark of life in the infant that il
mlEht not grow up burden to itself
ana possible menace To society was
the subject Of widespread discussion.
br. ~. j. liaiseldcn. OIL whose advice
the mother acted. was visited by mcdi-
cal men to-day. and telephone calls
alternately accused ana praised him.
tie remained unaltered in his couvic
ton that death was the greatest bless
ing which could he hopcd for The
infant
The haby's principal physical de-
formities were closure Of the Intestinal
tract, paralysis Of the nerves of The
right side of the face. absence of tnc
right ear blindness of one eye and
malformation of its shoulders.
pr. Haisclden. who oficiateCl ut The
birth. noted the absence of a neck
The brain he found to be only slightly
subnormal but the cranial nerves were
absent or undcvcloped
IF he gre% up he would he !, hone
less cripple. and would suffer from fits"
said the doctor.
Would his mind be clear: wou,d
his soul he normally alive" he was
asked.
That I don't know, hut the chances
are against it,"
SUPPOSEDLY HARMLESS
DEFECTIVE KILLS CHILD
The auestioncr cited the case OF
Roswell Smith. OF Chicago, a supposedly
harmless defective. who, after reach
ing the adult stage. killed little Hazel
Weinstock, for which he was hanged.
Another visitor remarked that Fyodor
Dostoevsky. born II. defective. who
sambled and had clilcptic fits de
reloped into a great novelist and one
Of the greatest psychologists in EN-
rope
Most OF the visitors treated the baby,
which lay III little bundle III a private
room. il il were uncauny. Dr.
Ilaiscldcn alone treated il like "A hu-
man being. lie looked into the little
twisted face and pattcd its cheeks.
He will he dead before the night
is over" he said. TIt would be a moral
wrong" he continued. ito allow ii to
live. II seems To me that A city which
allows a hiackhand outrage Il week. a
al
number OF accidents every round of
tho clock is hardly In position to
criticize man who holds that death
is preferable to life to Il deCcctivc"
The telephone rang. Dr Ilaisehlen
answered. aud for five minutes talked
with u woman. who pleaded with HIM
10 save the bahy's life When he re-
turned from the telephone hc smiled
.,rimly.
she called me names" hc said.
The little bundle stirred and a faint
cry was heard
Not much longer 10 wait, little one"
said tho doctor. gently. Thcn he added
I" those near him: He's dying"
MANY PROMINENT PERSONS
SIDE WITH nH. UAISi:i.DEN
pr. John E Murphy. former pre.i-
dent Of the American Medical Assncia
tion. aud phy*cianS aud professional
mcu and women. including 81 number
"f clcrEyrncn. generally took sides with
pr. iiaisrldcn. I:ut his critics were
just as numerous.
Dr. Murphy said:
"Th" baby's life is in tho hands of
q higher power, Nature viii provide
the best remedy"
Dr. Rosalic NJ. Ladova commented.
~ life is a life. and wish DR..
liascldcn would step out and let some
on" else operate"
Clarence barrow. the lawyer known
also a. "a humanitarian. rcmarl<cd:
"Chioroform UNIT children. Show
them the same mercy that is shown
beasts that arc no longer tit to live"
Mrs. Annie iiollinEcr The mother. re-
manned nearby. Many times she
asked:
is he dead"
She remained sieadfast in her bclicf
that death was best for the little Que
She has three healthy children. and
tn. plight Of tho condemned one Is
believed to have hccn due to an attack
OF typhoid fever which the mother suf-
fered recently.
What action will lie taken remains