Catholic Medical Quarterly Volume 74(3) Aug 2024
News
100 years of Euthanasia in the CMQ
Dr Adrian Treloar
Euthanasia
has been a part of the core medical ethical debate of Catholic medics for
fully 100 years. In 1924, when the Catholic Medical Guardian was just a
year old, euthanasia was a core part of this journal alongside vasectomy,
sex hygiene and eugenics [1].
By 1932 the issue of Euthanasia was “being constantly discussed. Dr Millard had drafted a bill to legalise it. [2] ”. The Legalisation of Voluntary Euthanasia was discussed by the Rt. Rev. Mgr P. E. Hallett, from St. John's Diocesan Seminary, Wonersh. [3]
In 1935 at the British Medical Association Council Dinner, held on November 6th, 1934, in the presence of the Minister of Health and two- hundred guests, Professor R. J. A. Berry, when proposing the toast of "The Common Health," made the startling statement that when abortion, euthanasia and sterilization' ceased to be regarded as solely criminal acts and had their proper place in modern preventive and therapeutic medicine, it would be to the advantage of the na- tion and of its healthy and mentally fit people." [4]
In 1941, in the final edition of the Catholic Medical Guardian we read that “The Voluntary Euthanasia Legalization Society is evidently making a big push thanks to the energy of its Secretary, Dr. C. Killick Millard. This form of physical and spiritual defeatism and scuttling should be countered by every member of the Guild who gets a chance. Birth prevention has done its evil work. Some of its protagonists are now devoting their energy to the other end of the scale of life. Would that some of these folk could see the reason of spending their energy on improving life instead of denying it to the unborn and shortening it for the living”. [5]
There are many more references to euthanasia in the Catholic Medical Guardian. Another bill to legalise it was debated by Preston Branch in 1937. [6]. In all there are 29 issues of the Guardian in which euthanasia was mentioned.
In truth, the shameful and evil atrocities of the Holocaust stopped debate on euthanasia for a while after the second world war. By the time abortion legislation, there was an expectation of euthanasia following soon after. In 1966 we were told (when abortion legislation was very much happening) with the “general legalisation of abortion” ….“as Cardinal Heenan has since declared, this would pave the way for euthanasia” [7]
And
now, as reported in this issue we have legislation being brought forward
in Guernsey, The Isle of Man and Scotland as well as, quite possibly
England. The killing that is euthanasia has been resisted for 100 years,
but it at least feels as if that resistance may soon lose. In an
increasingly pagan country, the worth of each individual can be lost. We
should remember the appalling statement given to the BMA in 1935- “ that
when abortion, euthanasia and sterilization” ceased to the regarded as
solely criminal acts and had their proper place in modern preventive and
therapeutic medicine, it would be to the advantage of the nation and of
its healthy and mentally fit people.” “Not so” we cry. Medicine is about
the sick and vulnerable and not primarily for the advantage of the healthy
and mentally well.[4]
In October 1935 Dr Cookson of Clifton. made a wise observation [8]. Mettray was a Catholic institution for children under the age of 16 who were held to have acted "sans discernement" . The institution had a resident chaplain, used “the most up-to-date methods” without coercion and punishments were always given by the Director and “were never degrading”. In an article on who with a resident chaplain he wrote that
“The early 19th century has well merited its place as the dark age of our civilisation, but perhaps because of the very blackness of the back[1] ground, there stand out luminous in Christian charity, men and women who not only hated the barbarities of the time ; and not only visualised a better state of affairs, but worked and prayed to achieve it. Shaftesbury, Romilly, Cobbett, Wilberforce, Elizabeth Fry, amongst many others, achieved substantial results in the amelioration of the lot of the poor and oppressed. For them there was always hope.” By contrast he observed that “It has been left to this generation to preach those counsels of despair known as sterilisation, contraception, euthanasia and abortion.” [8]
Perhaps herein is the answer. We are people of hope. We will treat and care for the sick and vulnerable. We will not see or love laws that legalise euthanasia and abortion to the “the advantage of the nation and of its healthy and mentally fit people.". We must not allow the vulnerable, the dying and the disabled to be seen as a burden on others Such laws are anathema. Our response must be care, love and hope for the sick and the vulnerable. Happily we have some better places to do this than Victorian institutions. But we must still care for and give hope and comfort to the sickest and most vulnerable people whom we serve.
For now we must continue to do all we can to stop the legalisation of assisted suicide. Legislation will put many people at risk.
References
- Moral principles and medical practice. Catholic Medical Guardian (1924 Jan) Vol 2 (1) 23-24.
- Euthanasia. Catholic Medical Guardian (1932 January) Vol 10 (1), 10.
- Rev PE Hallett (1932) The Legalisation of V oluntary Euthanasia. Catholic Medical Guardian Vol 10 (2) April. 71-76
- Abortion, Euthanasia, Sterilization and Contra- ception. Catholic Medical Guardian (1935 January) Vol 13 (1), 25-27.
- Euthanasia. Catholic Medical Guardian (1941 October) Vol 28 (4), 112.
- News from the Branches.. Preston Catholic Medical Guardian (1937 (2) April. Vol 15 (2), 55.
- Editorial. Catholic Medical Quarterly 1966 Vol 19 (3) p77.
- Cookson RG (1935 October). Mettray. Catholic Medical Guardian Vol 13 (3), 111-114.
Dr Adrian Treloar FRCP MRCPsych, MRCGP is a Consultant and former
Senior Lecturer in
Old Age Psychiatry