The Washington times., 1922-11-23
D. C.PHYS|C|ANS
WOULD SAVE
INFANT
One Declares He Would Let
Nature Decide Fate Of
Deformsd.

human agency to snuff out the
life OF a hopelessly deformed in
FAINT?
This question Is again being
broadly discussed throughout the
country as a direct result OF the
birth In Chicago of a child to Mr..
and Mrs. C. Labrasca. which came
into the world without either arms
or legs and probably physically
deficient in other respects.
Washington physicians are not
In accord ar to just what action
member OF the profession should
take in such cases although IL Is
agreed that the question Is one nnt
TO be decided from a purely medi'
cal point OF view but rather from
a humanitarian standpoint.
Would Let Baby Die.
DR.. Joseph NJ. Heller, the Park
wood, who saw distinguished service
In the Philippines and held commits.
sion in the army during the world
war, EXPRESSED himself as being OPP
posed to preserving the life OF hope
lessly deformed child at birth. DR..
Heller stated that his opinion was a
personal one and not founded upon
medical ethics.
I'm my opinion" he said. every
physician who meets such con.
tingency must be guided by his con-
science. In the case of the Lebrasca
infant l would not have done any
thing to preserve life. On the other
hand, / would not have done any
IN "a Un N
case would have let nature take its
course"
Would Avoid Grief.
DR.. Heller said he believed ii
necessary to establish by law COM
missions each covering specific dis.
tricts, where such cases could he
referred for determine ton. He said
that he believed the taking OF life
in certain definite cases of defor-
nifty at birth. the humane thing TO
do. Such action, he said, would
result in preventing untold grief
to both the child in future years
and to it's parents.
DIR. George NJ. Kober, president
of the Georgetown Medical School.
declared that there was no option
left to a physician where q life,
no matter how apparently useless,
was at stake. 'It is the duty OF
every physician" he said, Ito sup
port life. This duty is imposed
upon a doctor. and he must not in
,erfere with the natural course
life. believe that every. effort
should be made to keep life In q
little being such as the Lebrasca
child"
Matter Of Conscience.
DR.. Fowler, District health officer,
was of the opinion that the question
was not one for the medical profess
sion but rested primarily with each
Individual. He said that speaking
as an individual and not as a mem.
Der Of the medical profession. II
such a case came before him he
would make every effort to sustain
life. 1T Is the question Of indi.
vidual conscience" he said, land
my conscience tells me that the life
OF such a child should be sustained,
II II Ii possible to do 30. ] personally
feel that the taking Of life. even
under such conditions, belongs to
higher power than we have"
DR.. Percival Hall. president Of Gal.
laudet College, said that in his opin.
ion the life of such an infant should
be preserved IL possible. He said
that 1t was impossible to judge the
future possibilities Of such an infant.
Favor Preserving Life.
DR.. Harry II. Kerr, prominent
Washington surgeon, stated that he
would rather not discuss the ques-
ton"
That the medical profession gen
orally believes that life should be
preserved in such cases of deformed
birth, is the opinion Of DIR. w. NJ.
Barton. chairman public informa-
ton committee, District of Column
bia Medical Society. DR.. Barton
said that he believed the question
was a sociological one and not to
be determined by the medical pro-
fession. He pointed out that any
concerted action on the part OF
medical men to take away life In
cases of deformed infants might
lead to a disintegration OF society.
Such action could lead, he said. TO
grave possibilities. as II would leave
open an hypothesis for the taking
Of life for deformities of every
character. DR.. Barton said that he
believed majority Of physicians
were opposed to any such action.
Becomes Burden on Charity.
The question of suitable institu-
tions for the care of infants hope
Iessly deformed was also discussed
widely today. At the present time
In all such cases where the parents
are not financially able to care for
their deformed children, the child
becomes charitable charge. The
Board of Charities. It was said,
which maintains an institution for
the infirmed poor, would probably
take care of such cases.
Woman Prize Dairyman
EnU Nov OQ-Tho