EUTHANASIA: HISTORY IN AMERICA
Euthanasia is the termination of an incurably ill person's life in order to relieve them of their suffering. Euthanasia comes from the Greek words, Eu and Thanatosis which together means "Good Death”. “Good Death” is the ending of a person’s life who is suffering, in pain, of an incurable disease. This concept of “Good Death” is not seen through the eyes of many people around the world today. Today some see euthanasia as an excuse for people to kill themselves in spite of their pain. The first recorded use of the word was by Suetonius, a Roman historian, to describe the death of Augustus Caesar (1). However, Suetonius’ use of the word denoted a “gentle and natural or noninduced death” (3) as Augustus Caesar passed …show more content…
Dudley Field drafted the Field Penal Code, which prohibited 'aiding' a suicide and, specifically, 'furnish[ing] another person with any deadly weapon or poisonous drug, knowing that such person intends to use such weapon or drug in taking his own life. By the late 1860s, it was a crime in most states to assist a suicide (4). In the next decade, Samuel Williams begins to publicly advocate for Morphine and Other Drugs to be used for Euthanasia. Many did not agree with his point and claimed that pain medication be used to alleviate pain, not hasten death. The early 1900s bring another bill to the legal atmosphere of America because of the hurdles medical science has jumped over. In 1905, a bill was introduced to legalize euthanasia in the Ohio legislature. This bill was followed by a similar initiative that would legalize euthanasia for adults who qualify for hospice, and for 'hideously deformed or idiotic children'. This pushed the public opinion further to the side against euthanasia (5). The outrageous legislative initiative was followed by an act of public and outlandish act of passive euthanasia on a newborn. This newborn was born “blue and badly deformed” (6) in 1915. The doctor on the case, Dr. Haiselden predicted that the child would die without surgery in a very short amount of time. The decision to not perform surgery and Haiselden’s comment that the parents agreed to 'let nature complete its …show more content…
Soon after, the United States Senate held its first national hearing about euthanasia and dying with dignity. Many in the hearing felt it irony that medicine can prolong the life of a person while decreasing the patient’s quality of life and their dignity (8). The Supreme Court finally picks up a case regarding the issue with a patient and her quality of life. Karen Quinlan had been in a "persistent vegetative state"(9) for two years before her parents decided to go to court to have her respirator, her only connection to life, removed. The court granted the permission which brought national and international attention to the ethical issue. The attention that was given to euthanasia pushed California to sign the nations first Aid in Dying statute into law on October 1, 1976. This statute gives terminally ill people the right to authorize withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment when death is imminent (10). Since then, seven other states have right to die bills signed into
Euthanasia is the termination of an incurably ill person's life in order to relieve them of their suffering. Euthanasia comes from the Greek words, Eu and Thanatosis which together means "Good Death”. “Good Death” is the ending of a person’s life who is suffering, in pain, of an incurable disease. This concept of “Good Death” is not seen through the eyes of many people around the world today. Today some see euthanasia as an excuse for people to kill themselves in spite of their pain. The first recorded use of the word was by Suetonius, a Roman historian, to describe the death of Augustus Caesar (1). However, Suetonius’ use of the word denoted a “gentle and natural or noninduced death” (3) as Augustus Caesar passed …show more content…
Dudley Field drafted the Field Penal Code, which prohibited 'aiding' a suicide and, specifically, 'furnish[ing] another person with any deadly weapon or poisonous drug, knowing that such person intends to use such weapon or drug in taking his own life. By the late 1860s, it was a crime in most states to assist a suicide (4). In the next decade, Samuel Williams begins to publicly advocate for Morphine and Other Drugs to be used for Euthanasia. Many did not agree with his point and claimed that pain medication be used to alleviate pain, not hasten death. The early 1900s bring another bill to the legal atmosphere of America because of the hurdles medical science has jumped over. In 1905, a bill was introduced to legalize euthanasia in the Ohio legislature. This bill was followed by a similar initiative that would legalize euthanasia for adults who qualify for hospice, and for 'hideously deformed or idiotic children'. This pushed the public opinion further to the side against euthanasia (5). The outrageous legislative initiative was followed by an act of public and outlandish act of passive euthanasia on a newborn. This newborn was born “blue and badly deformed” (6) in 1915. The doctor on the case, Dr. Haiselden predicted that the child would die without surgery in a very short amount of time. The decision to not perform surgery and Haiselden’s comment that the parents agreed to 'let nature complete its …show more content…
Soon after, the United States Senate held its first national hearing about euthanasia and dying with dignity. Many in the hearing felt it irony that medicine can prolong the life of a person while decreasing the patient’s quality of life and their dignity (8). The Supreme Court finally picks up a case regarding the issue with a patient and her quality of life. Karen Quinlan had been in a "persistent vegetative state"(9) for two years before her parents decided to go to court to have her respirator, her only connection to life, removed. The court granted the permission which brought national and international attention to the ethical issue. The attention that was given to euthanasia pushed California to sign the nations first Aid in Dying statute into law on October 1, 1976. This statute gives terminally ill people the right to authorize withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment when death is imminent (10). Since then, seven other states have right to die bills signed into