Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-27
NTHANASIA WRONG
DOCTORS COMMENT
IN CHLOROFORM CASE
Even When Death Must
Ensue in Few Hours and
Patient Suffers, Flame
of Life Must Be Famed.

rba case of Miss Bertha Kreider, of 900
YVES, susauehanna avenue, who, agon-
,..d at the sight of her mothers suffer-
,ng In the Episcopal Hospital covered
,he aged woman's face with chloroform
.nonse. thereby Fastening death several
hours. raised today among lawyers and
rbvslcians the question of the justifla-
t,iitv OF euthanasia in extreme cases.
Miss Kreider collapsed again today
-rben she was taken to City Hall for ex-
.r,Inaaion by DIR. John wanamaker, Sd,
colIce surgeon She Is now at the Phlla-
dsinhIa Hospital. She seemed to be terri
tiv weak and nervous when she reached
ritv Hall. Miss Krieder Is very small
woman, Weighing about 80 pounds.
For long time contentious pro and
eon have been advanced in medical cir
cies but the answer never has been
reached because in the eyes of the Law
tbls method of ending pain Is regarded
ss first degree murder
In the opinion of DR.. Ross V. Patter-
son, subdean of the Jefferson Medical
College, the physician that would take
upon himself the responsibility of de-
IIberately snuffing out n PERSONS life
would be comparable to Pooh Bah in
"The Mikado," or any other public execu-
toner.
DOCTOR PATTERSON sATIRIC.
'T think such little details" he said,
faeetlously expressing his disapproval,
"should be arranged by the victims fam
ily. 1t might be made social event and
the relatives could even go so far as to
issue cards to their friends and acquaint-
ances to come to the celebration.
"'Mr. and Mrs Smith invite you to be
present at the chloroforming OF their old
grandmother. who will leave so and so
much money would be an apt way to
word IT," he continued, "klt personally,
don't think 1t would be necessary for
them to call upon their physician to per-
form the murder, for that is what 1t
would be, without a doubt"
DR.. John H. Gibbon declared the ques-
tion one that has been argued pro and
con in medical circles for years to no
avail, because of the law which calls this
act murder. He added further that 1t
will continue to be murder until the law
Is changed, but would not state whether
he approved the revision of the law.
MURDER, SAYS JURIsT.
According to former Judge Maxwell
Stevenson, If Miss Kreider had been in
her right mind she undoubtedly would
have been guilty of murder in the first
degree.
mo one has the right to take the life
OF fellow being" said the eminent GRIM
inal lawyer, "and according to the act
Of Assembly, a case of this kind unques-
tlonably would come under the head of
frst-degree murder.
Il suppose a woman might become so
agonzed over the sight of her mothers
suferings as to become mentally unbal-
anced, and tthen no jury would convict |
her Of first-degree murder. But, never |
theless, the law should stand as 1t is. To |
revise 1t, giving physician the power
to decide to take life, would be putting |
tremendous powers in his hands, indeed, !
and serious advantage could be taken.'
No criminal charge will be made against |
Miss Kreider Coroners detective Frank !
Paul. said today that the aged woman's
death probably will be ascribed to heart |
trouble. Miss Kreider is now In st.
Mary's Hospital in a serious condition
1t Is feared her mind has been unbal-
anced by the 72 hours she spent at her
mothers bedside.
Bertha Kreider was removed to the hos
plta last night. She Is under the care
Of DR.. Thomas Clancy. He said she is
still In state of collapse. There is
every indication that she is neurotic,' he
said She Is absolutely silent She will
be kept under observation to determine
her nationality"
The autopsy probably will be made
tomorrow. The inquest also may be held
then. If the Coroner has time after hear
ing the case of Ida Rehl. 1t became
known today through a niece of Miss
krelder that the woman had chloroform
IN the house two months ago. She bought
1t at that time to end the suffering of
pet cat
So far 1t has been impossible to get any
statement from Miss Krieder. She re-
fused to discuss the case when she was
revived after being found Unconscious OH
me grounds of the hospital.
Physicians at the hospital say that the
Roman's mother. Mrs. Phoebe Kreider,
who was 73 years old, could not have lived
more than few hours. She sustained
fracture of the hip late in March that
caused almost complete paralysis. Every
day she was growing weaker. and fer
most OF the three days preceding her
death she uas