The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-24
Verdict Is by Physician in
Famed BOllinger Case.
Refuses To Operate on Pitifully
DefOrmed Infant.
PARENTS AGREE TO VERDICT
Lets STATURE Rectify Its Own
Mistakes" by Death.
With Brain Exposed Child Can
Not Live Long.

Chicago. July 24.-Dr H. J. Haisel-
den, who let Baby Bollinger die be-
cause nature had made a mistake. has
again decreed that nature shall be
allowed to rectify her own errors. He
has decreed death for the infant
daughter of William and Mrs. Eva
Meter of West Pullman.
When the child was born, the at
tending physician directed that DR..
Haiselden be called and said he would
abide by the doctors decision.
DR.. Haiselden examined the child
and his decision was for death.
The child's upper skull cap was mis-
sing. A diminutive brain which SEEM
ed to promise imbecility was covered
only by thin transparent membrane.
There was no neck. The tiny head
was attached directly to the shoulders.
The eyes bulged from their sockets
Both ears were misshapen, the arms
were without muscles or tendons and
incapable of functioning.
Baby Could Be Saved.
The baby could be saved said DR..
Haiselden. This could be achieved
by cutting patch of skin from the
back and grating it over the exposed
brain But 1 will not do this. No
surgeon is justified in prolonging an
absolutely worthless life.
IF / saved the infant I should pre-
serve it to a life of wretchedness, it
would be a burden to itself and others.
Perhaps it would become a menace to
society. 1 will not kill it. Nature will
rectify it's own mistakes. 1 will feed
it as long as life lives, but 1 will not
operate"
The parents bowed to the doctors
ruling.
Dr. Haiselden's decree of death for
Baby Bollinger created comment all
ciui1izQd world Tho
board of health and Illinois medical
society were asked to revoke the doc
tors license to practice and the
humanitarians and the moralists en-
gagged in a battle which was waged in
the daily and medical press for
months However, no action was
taken and the doctor continued his
practice undisturbed.
Still Alive Today.
The Meter child was still alive to-
day, but death was expected momen-
tarily.
DR.. Haiselden attributed the infants
condition directly to marking" Six
months before the child was born. a
man plunged from the Edison build
ing here to his death on the sidewalk,
directly in front of Mrs. Meter. His
skull was crushed Baby Meters
skull is gone, in a correspond
ing region of the head.
The parallel is significant" said
DR.. Haiselden- And it only confirms
my opinion that children are marked
before birth, despite contradictory
opinions of many leading physicians
In such cases as these the cord
should never have been tied In
border line cases the situation is diff
ferent- They need consfderati ton but
when the hopelessness of an infant is
so apparent it should be allowed to
pass into the next world at once.
Experimenting With Animals.
Frequently the shame, worry and
shock over a birth of this kind kills
the mother. 1 have known it to oc-
cur in number of cases.
'Imperfection of nature from shock
is due to the releasing of the cords
that support the infant letting in GER
tain poisons, causing the marking. In
the case of animals we have expert
mented by injecting toxins and poi
sons and found that the progeny were
either blind or crippled
II think that it should b. made a
rule among surgeons thai when i'm
perfection of nature is as apparent as
it is in this case they should not tie
the cord that sustains life