The Washington herald., 1922-11-23
10 Parallel Can Be Found In
Case Of BoIIlnger Child Who
Was Born Mentally Defective
Or. COPELAND COMMENTS
Health Commissioners and U. S.
Senator Elect Says It's Duty
of Doctors to Prolong Life
By MARGERY REX,
Nom eefVIce.

freak babies be allowed to liver
Chicago. once the storm center
q the famous "Bollinger case"
now rages with heated discussion
ever the fate Of the lie Brasca
girl baby, born without arms or
legs"
T. lie Brasca, the father, at first
wanted doctors to let his child die,
but now has Joined his wife in
fervent desire that their crippled
little girl shall live.
The Boliinger baby was allowed
to die, though surgery might have
saved its life. Since 1t was men
tally defective, DIR. Harry H. Hasel.
den, attending physician. refused
that operation. But the lie Brasca
child's defect Is only q physical
one. according to DR.. Benjamin II.
Breakstone, chief surgeon at the
normal infant was born.
COPELAND COMMENTS.
Dr.. Royal 8. Copeland. New York
cfty's health commissioner, today
gave me this view on the advisa-
bility Of permitting such a child to
live Dr. Copeland. by the way.
has been elected United States SEN
ator from New York State. his only
regret being that his new honors
win take him from the field Of
work to which he has been SO de-
voted.
The child is here" he began.
and Il Is the duty Of the doctors
20 keep It alive.
'It IL q terrible thing that a
- = AAR n1
and Il is quite human to say that
II would be better II 1t died.
1T would be q blessing II the
child did die.
But it's here.
TALKS OF MOTHERHOOD.
"And deformed as 1t is. the
poor infant will not want for love
and attention. know enough
about instances Of motherhood to
know that. The mother will love
and serve this Door creature more
than she would a normal baby.
1T is the business of the ply
sician to preserve and prolong
human life. In the practice Of
medicine It is a frequent occur
renee for a doctor to be called In
TO prescribe for some one with in
durable cancer or some other ter
rible disease certain to terminate
fatally within a short time.
Since the end Is inevitable with
IN q few days 1t would seem an
act of humanity to let the patient
lie.
But the obligation Of a physician
must rise above his human in
stincts.
MY own instinct would be to say
Off-hand: Well, let the child die.
And what good Is 1t to itself or any
one else But we must keep 1t
alive; II Is our duty"
MAINTAINS HIS POSITION.
asked DIR. Copeland for his opin-
ion regarding any case similar to
that of the Bollinger baby, who
was born not only hideously de-
formed, but mentally defective as
well, and whose life could have
been saved only by severe operative
measures.
TT an operation were necessary
I wouldn't change my position a
bit. We must save life," DR.. Cope
hnd replied.
"And we must not forget that
nature Is q wonderful healer. We
may sit down in despair and per-
haps give up our task Of further at
tempts to heal when. 10. and behold.
the patient gets well. OF course,
my respect for my profession keeps
me from suggeeting that the pat ent
struggled on In spite Of treatment.
INTELLECT MAY DEVELOP.
Il do not mean, naturally, that
this poor baby Is likely to grow
arms and legs. but even though II
continues through life as a hope
less cripple. II may develop such in
teilectual powers as to be the
prodigy Of a gene ration. Denied the
privileges of sports and other phys
ical activities. this child can fall
back upon the resources Of the in
teilect.''
The father Of the hapless little
hump of clay 50 pitifuIly undevel-
oped. has at last come to this con.
elus'on:
Let Providence alone. and not
the methods ~ science. take our
baby out Of the world" he said.
"Neither my wife nor / shall shrink
our responsibility In caring for our
baby. II shall be placed IN a hos
pital and everything possible shall
no dope for n