Is Euthanasia Humane? Text A Doctor of Good Repntation Hastened His Patients Death The most famous mercy killing case in Americas history involves Dr. Herman N. Sanders, a country doctor from New Hampshire. In the early 1950s Dr. Sanders had been treating a sixty-year-old woman in Hillsboro County Hospital who was dying of cancer. The woman had wasted away from 140 pounds to 80 pounds. There was no chance for recovery and she suffered extreme pain. Often she screamed out in anguish from her bed. She begged everyone whocame near her to help her die. Toward the end there was little Dr. Sanders could do medically to ease his patients suffering. He knew that her last,days would be torturously painful. So he decided to put an end to her misery. Dr. Sanders gave his patient four lethal injections of air, which caused her to die painlessly in under ten minutes. He recorded his action on the hospitals record and said no more of the matter. However, hospital administrators came across Dr. Sanders entry when reviewing the records at a staff meeting and reported it to the state. A warrant for the doctors arrest was issued and served by the sheriff. The warrant charged that Dr. Sanders feloniously and willfully and of his own malice and aforethought did injectair into the veins of Abbie Borroto and with said injection, feloniously and willfully and of his said malice aforethought killed and murdered his patient。 The doctor pleaded not guilty and was released on $ 25, 000 bail . |