The Right to Die Debate: A Documentary History

Series Foreword xxi
Acknowledgments xxiii
Introduction by Karen Orloff Kaplan xxv
Timeline xxix
PART I: Death and How We Face It 1
SOME LITERATURE ABOUT DEATH 1
Document 1: Hamlet, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) 1
Document 2: \"Death Be Not Proud/7 John Donne (1572-
1631) 2
DEFINITIONS OF DEATH 2
Document 3: Definition, Dr. Pierre H. Muller (1967) 2
Document 4: Defining Death, President\'s Commission for the
Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and
Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1981) 3
Document 5: //rThe Premature Burial/\' Edgar Allan Poe
(1844) 3
Document 6: Death, Dying, and the Biological Revolution,
Robert M. Veatch (1976) 4
Document 7: \"A Definition of Irreversible Coma/\' Ad Hoc
Committee of the Harvard Medical School to
Examine the Definition of Brain Death (1968) 6Contents
Document 8: Defining Death, President\'s Commission for the
Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and
Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1981) 8
Document 9: Summing Up, President\'s Commission for the
Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and
Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1983) 9
RESPONSES TO THE REALITY OF DEATH 10
Document 10: \"Death: Historical Evolution and Implication
of the Concept/7 Benjamin Boshes (1978) 10
Document 11: On Death and Dying, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
(1969) 14
Document 12: How We Die: Reflections on Life\'s Final Chapter,
Sherwin B. Nuland (1994) 15
Document 13: \"Survey Probes Spiritual Concerns about
Dying/7 Life at Risk, Richard Doerflinger,
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
(December 1997) 15
Document 14: \"Shreds of a Flowered Shirt,\" Emily R.
Transue (1995) 17
FURTHER READING v 19
PART II: Medical Advances, Care of the Dying, and the
Euthanasia Movement before 1952 21
DEATH IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 21
Document 15: Letter of Florence Nightingale to Sidney
Herbert (November 25, 1854) 22
Document 16: Doctors in Blue, George Worthington Adams
(1952) 24
Document 17: Doctors in Blue, George Worthington Adams
(1952) 27
Document 18: The Social Transformation of American Medicine,
Paul Starr (1982) 28
MORTALITY, 1900-1950 29
Document 19: Diagrammatic Representation of Death Rates
from All Causes, United States, 1900-1969, by
Major Categories as Indicated, Thomas M.
Peery (1975) 30Contents XI
4:
THE EARLY EUTHANASIA MOVEMENT
Document 20: Freedom to Die, O. Ruth Russell (1975)
THE EUTHANASIA MOVEMENT IN GREAT BRITAIN AND
THE UNITED STATES
Document 21: \"The Right to Die: A Debate. I. Legalize
Euthanasiar Abraham L. Wolbarst; \"II. Life Is
Sacred,\" James J. Walsh (1935)
Document 22: \"Mercy Death Bill Filed in Nebraska,\" New
York Times (February 14, 1937)
Document 23: \"National Euthanasia Society Formed; MercyKilling Advocates Plan Legislation,\"
Announcement of the Formation of the
Euthanasia Society (1938)
Document 24: Social Darwinism in American Thought, Richard
Hofstadter (1955)
Document 25: Doctors of Infamy, Alexander Mitscherlich and
Fred Mielke (1949)
ATTEMPTS TO LEGALIZE EUTHANASIA IN THE UNITED
STATES
Document 26: Proposed New York State Law on Voluntary
Euthanasia (1947)
Document 27: Petition to the Legislature of the State of New
York from Physicians (1947)
Document 28: Petition to the Legislature of the State of New
York from Ministers (1949)
Document 29: Petition to the United Nations for Amendment
of the Declaration of Human Rights to Include
the Right of Incurable Sufferers to Voluntary
Euthanasia (1952)
/ OPPOSITION TO THE EUTHANASIA MOVEMENT
Document 30: \"Euthanasia Critics Lauded by Cardinal,\" New
York Herald Tribune (May 7, 1950)
Document 31: \"Presbyterian Council Opposes Mercy Killing,\"
Jacksonville, Illinois, Journal (May 24, 1951)
Document 32: Resolution of the New York State Medical
Society (1950)
31
31
34
35
37
39
40
42
43
43
46
48
49
50
50
51
52XII Contents
MERCY KILLINGS 52
Document 33: \'\'Cancer Haunted Paight Family/\' New York
Journal-American (September 28, 1949) 52
Document 34: \"Murder, Mercy and the Law,\" New York Daily
News (October 2, 1949) 54
Document 35: \"What Is the Fate of \'Mercy Killers7?\"
Euthanasia Society Bulletin (NovemberDecember 1954) 55
Document 36: \"Due Process of Euthanasia: The Living Will, a
Proposal,\" Luis Kutner (1969) 56
FURTHER READING 57
PART III: Changes in Medical Care and the Way We Die:
The Euthanasia Movement, 1953-1965 59
THE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN MEDICAL CARE ON THE
END OF LIFE 59
Document 37: \"You Are Standing at the Bedside of a Patient
Dying of Untreatable Cancer,\" Edward H.
Rynearson (1959) 60
Document 38: \"The Prolongation of Life,\" Pope Pius XII
(1957) 62
EUTHANASIA 63
Document 39: Morals and Medicine, Joseph Fletcher (1954) 64
Document 40: The Sanctity of Life and the Criminal Law,
Glanville Williams (1957) 69
Document 41: \"Some Non-religious Views against Proposed
/
Mercy-Killing, Legislation,\" Yale Kamisar
(1958) 69
FURTHER READING 70
PART IV: Advance Directives: Their Legalization and
Implementation 71
THE ORIGINAL LIVING WILL 71
Document 42: \"Due Process of Euthanasia: The Living Will, a
Proposal,\" Luis Kutner (1969) 72
Document 43: Living Will Distributed by the Euthanasia
Society (1972) 73Contents xiii
STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF PATIENTS\' RIGHTS 74
Document 44: A Patient\'s Bill of Rights, American Hospital
Association (1973) 74
Document 45: Statement of the American Medical Association
House of Delegates (1973) 75
Document 46: \"Dear Abby\" Column (April 1, 1973) 75
LEGALIZING THE LIVING WILL 76
Document 47: West Virginia Living Will Law (1994) 77
MEDICAL POWER OF ATTORNEY: HEALTH CARE AGENT
APPOINTED BY THE PATIENT 81
Document 48: Florida Advance Directives (1998) 82
LAWS THAT PERMIT HEALTH CARE DECISIONS TO BE
MADE BY A SURROGATE WHO WAS NOT APPOINTED BY
THE PATIENT 86
Document 49: New Mexico Surrogate-Decision-Making Law
(1995) 86
^ Document 50: Map of States with Surrogate Decision-Making
Laws Qune 1998) 88
Document 51: \"Treatment Decisions for Patients without
Surrogates,\" Tracy Miller, Carl H. Coleman,
and Anna Maria Cugliari (1997) 89
LIMITATIONS OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVES 90
FEDERAL LAW RELATING TO ADVANCE DIRECTIVES 91
Document 52: Patient Self-Determination Act (1990) 91
Document 53: \"Live and Let Die,\" Harriet Brickman (July 2,
1995) 92
Document 54: \"Living Will Completion in Older Adults,\"
Keith L. Stelter, Barbara A. Elliott, and
Candace A. Bruno (1992) 94
Document 55: \"Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior of
Elderly Persons Regarding Living Wills,\"
Elizabeth R. Gamble, Penelope J. McDonald,
and Peter R. Lichstein (1991) 95
Document 56: \"The Use of Living Wills at the End of Life,\"
Laura C. Hanson and Eric Rodgman (1996) 96xiv Contents
SOME CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS RESPONSES TO
ADVANCE DIRECTIVES 97
Document 57: \' \'Ethnicity and Advance Care Directives/\'
Sheila T. Murphy et al. (1996) 97
Document 58: \"Mistrust, Racism, and End-of-Life
Treatment/\' Case Study with Commentary,
Eric L. Krakauer and Robert D. Truog (1997) 99
Document 59: Vatican Document on Euthanasia (1980) 103
Document 60: \"Christian Affirmation of Life: A Statement on
Terminal Illness,\" Catholic Health Association
(1982) 104
Document 61: Judaism and Healing, David Bleich (1981) 105
Document 62: Resolution Concerning Death with Dignity,
United Methodist Church (1996) 105
Document 63: Resolution Concerning the Rights and
Responsibilities of Christians Regarding
Human Death, United Church of Christ (1991) 106
ATTEMPTS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF COMPLETED
ADVANCE DIRECTIVES 107
Document 64: \"Increasing the Completion of the Durable
Power of Attorney for Health Care,\" Susan M.
Rubin et al. (1994) 108
Document 65: \"Marked Improvement in Recognition and
Completion of Health Care Proxies,\" Diane E.
Meier et al. (1996) 109
Document 66: \"Rethinking How We Communicate about
Advance Directives,\" Susan Evans and Peter
Clarke (1992) 110
RESPONSES OF PHYSICIANS TO ADVANCE DIRECTIVES 111
Document 67: \"Advance Directives for Seriously 111
Hospitalized Patients,\" Joan Teno et al. (1997) 111
Document 68: \"Advance Directives and SUPPORT,\" Joseph J.
Fins (1997) 112
Document 69: \"A Letter from a Patient\'s Daughter,\"
Elisabeth Hansot (1996) 114Contents xv
Document 70: \"Whose Death Is It, Anyway?\" Timothy
Gilligan and Thomas A. Raffin (1996) 117
Document 71: \"Commentary: Balancing Life and Death
—
Proceed with Caution,\" Nancy Neveloff
Dubler (1993) 121
Document 72: \"Doctors Admit Ignoring Dying Patients\'
Wishes,\" Jane E. Brody (1993) 126
COST SAVINGS 128
DO NOT RESUSCITATE (DNR) ORDERS 128
Document 73: New York State DNR Order Form (1995) 130
Document 74: Typical Nonhospital DNR Form (1995) 132
FURTHER READING 133
PART V: The Role of the Courts in End-of-Life Decision
Making 135
THE RIGHT TO DIE OF PATIENTS WITH CAPACITY 136
Document 75: Satz, State Attorney for Broward County, Florida,
Appellant v. Perlmutter, Florida (1980) 136
Document 76: Elizabeth Bouvia v. County of Riverside: Riverside
General Hospital, California (1983) 138
Document 77: Bouvia v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County
(Glenchur), California (1986) 140
THE RIGHT TO DIE OF PATIENTS WHO HAVE LOST
CAPACITY 141
Document 78: Position of the American Academy of
Neurology (1988) 142
Document 79: In the Matter of Karen Quinlan, an Alleged
Incompetent, Superior Court of New Jersey
(1975) 143
Document 80: Amicus Curiae Brief of the New Jersey
Catholic Conference (1975 and 1976) \" 160
Document 81: In the Matter of Karen Quinlan, Supreme Court
of New Jersey (1976) 162
Document 82: \"Court Rules Karen Quinlan\'s Father Can Let
Her Die,\" Joseph F. Sullivan, New York Times
(April 1, 1976) 164XVI Contents
WHAT IS CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE? 167
Document 83: In the Matter of John Storar, New York Court of
Appeals (1981) 168
Document 84: In re Daniel Joseph Fiori, Supreme Court,
Pennsylvania (1995) 169
fARTIFICIAL NUTRITION AND HYDRATION 171
Document 85: \'The Physician\'s Responsibility toward
Hopelessly 111 Patients/\' Sidney H. Wanzer et
al. (1984) 172
Document 86: \"Don\'t Force All to Live, Doctors Say,\" Chicago
Tribune (April 13, 1984) 173
Document 87: \"Death with Dignity?\" Patricia Brophy (1997) 175
Document 88: \"Comfort Care for Terminally 111 Patients,\"
Robert M. McCann, William J. Hall, and
Annmarie Groth-Juncker (1994) 182
Document 89: \"A Conversation with My Mother,\" David M.
Eddy (1994) 183
Document 90: \"Patient Refusal of Nutrition and Hydration:
Walking the Ever-finer Line,\" Ira Byock (1995) 188
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION IN THE CASE OF
NANCY CRUZAN 190
Document 91: Cruzan v. Harmon, Missouri Supreme Court
(1988) 191
Document 92: Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Majority
Opinion, Cruzan v. Director, Missouri
Department of Health, U.S. Supreme Court
(1990) 193
Document 93: Concurring and Dissenting Opinions, Cruzan v.
Director, Missouri Department of Health, U.S.
Supreme Court (1990) 194
Document 94: \"A Right to Let Die?\" The Virginian-Pilot and
Ledger-Star, Norfolk, Virginia Quly 1, 1990) 196
Document 95: \"For Family, a Cruel Decision; for the Rest of
Us, a Warning,\" Press-Telegram, Long Beach,
California (June 26, 1990) 198
Document 96: \"The Right to Die in Dignity,\" Marcia Angell,
(July 23, 1990) 199Contents XVII
THE RIGHT TO DIE OF PATIENTS WHO WERE NEVER
COMPETENT
MEDICAL FUTILITY
Document 97: In re Conservatorship of Wanglie, District Court,
Hennepin County, Minnesota (1991)
Document 98: In re Baby \'%\" U.S. District Court, Eastern
Division, Virginia (1993)
Document 99: Judge Sprouse, Dissenting Opinion, In re Baby
\"K\" (1994)
Document 100: \"After Quinlan: The Dilemma of the
Persistent Vegetative State,\" Marcia Angell
(1994)
WHAT IF THE HEALTH CARE FACILITY DOES NOT
FOLLOW THE PATIENT\'S WISHES TO TERMINATE CARE?
Document 101: First Healthcare Corporation v. Rettinger, North
Carolina Court of Appeals (1995)
Document 102: Amicus Curiae Brief of Choice In Dying, First
Healthcare Corporation v. Rettinger, North
Carolina Supreme Court (1996)
Document 103: Osgood v. Genesys Regional Medical Center,
Michigan Circuit Court, Genessee Co. (1997)
FURTHER READING
PART VI: Suicide, Assisted Suicide, and Euthanasia
SUICIDE
Document 104: The Least Worst Death, Margaret Pabst Battin
(1994)
Document 105:
Document 106:
Document 107:
The Least Worst Death, Margaret Pabst Battin
(1994)
Utopia, Sir Thomas More (1516)
\"A Bit of History,\" in the Concurring Opinion
of Judge Guido Calabresi, Quill v. Vacco, U.S.
Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (1996)
ASSISTED SUICIDE AND EUTHANASIA
Document 108: Jean\'s Way, Derek Humphry with Ann Wickett
(1978)
201
202
203
205
209
211
215
216
219
221
222
223
224
224
226
228
229
229
230XVIII Contents
Document 109:
LEGALITY OF
Document 110:
Document 111:
Document 112:
Document 113:
Document 114:
Document 115:
Document 116:
Document 117:
Document 118:
Document 119:
Document 120:
Document 121:
Document 122:
Document 123:
Document 124:
Last Wish, Betty Rollin (1985) 233
AND OPINIONS ABOUT ASSISTED SUICIDE 234
\"Death\'s Dissident/\' Economist (November 13,
1993) 236
\"Rx for Death/7 Nancy Gibbs (May 1993) 238
\"Kevorkian\'s Crusade/7 Geoffrey Nels Fieger
(1993) 238
Oath of Hippocrates in Source Book of Medical
History, Logan Clendening (1960) 240
\"Active and Passive Euthanasia,\" James
Rachels (1975) 241
\"It\'s Over, Debbie,\" Name Withheld by
Request (1988) 247
\"The Physician\'s Responsibility toward
Hopelessly 111 Patients: A Second Look,\"
Sidney H. Wanzer et al. (1989) 249
\"Death and Dignity: A Case of Individualized
Decision Making,\" Timothy E. Quill (1991) 249
Death and Dignity: Making Choices and Taking
Charge, Timothy E. Quill (1993) 255
\"Physician-assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in
Washington State,\" Anthony L. Back et al.
(1996) 257
\"A Change of Heart on Assisted Suicide,\"
Diane E. Meier (April 24, 1998) 258
Recommendations of the Council on Ethical
and Judicial Affairs, American Medical
Association (1993) 259
\"Should Physicians Aid Patients in Dying?\"
Robert
J. Blendon, Ulrike S. Szalay, and
Richard A. Knox (1992) 261
Resolution on Assisted Suicide of the
Southern Baptist Convention (June 1996) 262
Executive Summary of \"When Death Is
Sought,\" New York State Task Force on Life
and the Law (May 1994) 263Contents XIX
Document 125:
Document 126:
Document 127:
Document 128:
Document 129:
Document 130:
Statement of the National Legislative Council
of the American Association of Retired
Persons (AARP) (1997) 264
\"Death Do Us Part/\' Paul Longmore and
Andrew Batavia (1997) 265
\"Self-Extinction: The Morality of the Helping
Hand,\" Daniel Callahan (1997) 269
\"Desire for Death in the Terminally 111,\"
Harvey Max Chochinov et al. (1995) 271
\"Palliative Options of Last Resort,\" Timothy
E. Quill, Bernard Lo, and Dan W. Brock
(1997) 272
\"What Are the Potential Cost Savings from
Legalizing Physician-assisted Suicide?\"
Ezekiel
J. Emanuel and Margaret P. Battin
(1998) 273
ATTEMPTS TO LEGALIZE PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE 273
Document 131: The Oregon Death with Dignity Act (1998) 274
COURT DECISIONS 281
Document 132: Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution 281
Document 133: Quill v. Vacco, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second
Circuit (April 2, 1996) 282
Document 134: Compassion in Dying v. State of Washington,
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (March
6, 1996) 286
Document 135: Opinion of Chief Justice William Rehnquist,
Vacco v. Quill, U.S. Supreme Court (June 26,
1997) 288
Document 136: Opinion of Chief Justice William Rehnquist,
Washington v. Glucksberg, U.S. Supreme Court
(June 26, 1997) 289
PALLIATIVE CARE 290
Document 137: \"The Supreme Court Speaks: Not Assisted
Suicide but a Constitutional Right to Palliative
Care,\" Robert A. Burt (1997) 290xx Contents
Document 138: \"Hospice Medicine/7 Zail S. Berry and Joanne
Lynn (1993) 296
FURTHER READING 296
Index