North South University

Department of English & Modern Languages

Name: B. M. Raihanul Haque

ID: 1512756042
Course: ENG111
Section: 02
Faculty: Ms. Sabeeha Saleque (Slq)
Submitted on: 21.11.2016
 Euthanasia
Source Type: Electronic media, Articles

Source Title: Wikipedia, Bizarre Medical Stories by Grace Murano, Genetic Crossroads by Elliot Hosman
J.D.

Introduction
Anecdote: Marc and Eddy Verbessem, a pair of identical twins, were born deaf. For 45 years, the lived
together. Although they had no terminal illness, they decided to end their life in December 2012 after
finding out that they would be blind soon. They couldn’t bear the fact that they wouldn’t be able to see
each other. Later, they made their decision to be euthanized in their full conscience, as stated by Belgian
doctor David Dufour. After spending their entire life together, they were killed at Brussels University
Hospital by lethal injection.

Theory (Main concept):

A medical practice to end life willingly in order to save oneself from pain. From my point of view,
although this relieves people from sufferings and is allowed only in minor portion of the world, this is
unethical.

Body
Main Point 1: Euthanasia, a Greek term, which refers to as mercy killings of animals specially humans.
They are of three type:

1. Voluntary euthanasia -- Euthanasia conducted with the consent of the patient. Example: The above
one given.

2. Non-voluntary euthanasia -- Euthanasia conducted when the consent of the patient is unavailable.
Example: Child Euthanasia. Performed to the children who have birth defects. In 1915 a baby named
Bollinger were born with so many abnormalities. Dr. Harry Haiselden suggested euthanasia for the baby.
Later, it became public and got mixed response. The baby died when he was just five years old.

3. Involuntary euthanasia -- Euthanasia conducted against the will of the patient. Example: In October
1939, during World War 2, Adolf Hitler enacted the Aktion T4 program to euthanize “incurably ill,
physically or mentally disabled, emotionally distraught, and elderly people.” Over 200,000 people were
killed over six year span.

The above three can be sub-divided into two more types which are active and passive euthanasia. Active
euthanasia means the uses of lethal doses to end life while the passive one refers to withholding
common treatment such as antibiotics.

Main Point 2: The practice of Euthanasia has been legalized in Netherlands, Canada, Colombia, Belgium,
and Luxembourg although for the majority part of the world it is illegal. But the practice can be traced
back into the past. It was practiced in Ancient Greece. For instance, hemlock was used to accelerate
death on the island of Kea. The contemporary debate of this practice had started from 18th century.
Francis Bacon, Karl Marx had put their own ideology on this practice as well. Judeo-Christian tradition
highly opposes this procedure. During Mid 1800s uses of Morphine triggered debate about this issue.
Samuel Williams’ writings were critically acclaimed during that period who stated that, if this practice
was a mean to end pain and have proper patient’s consent then this should be allowed as treatment.

During social and technological transition of US, the debate got heated up. People like Robert Ingersoll
thought that a patient who had terminal illness had the right to end his/her life. Other believed, like
Felix Adler had taken religion into account which considered this practice as unethical. The debate went
on until 1906 and then lost its intensity. It got heated up again in UK during the year of 1930. In January
1936, King George V was given a fatal dose of morphine and cocaine in order to hasten his death. Ian
Dowbiggin opposed Euthanasia later on.

As mentioned above, Nazi Germany was responsible for conducting this practice on gas chamber victim
for six year span until 1945. This is consider as discredit of morality to great extent.

Lastly, a petition was signed on January 6 1949 by Euthanasia Society of America to legalize this practice.
The protestors said, “Are we going to finish Hitler’s job?” as a reply against the proposal. This petition
never led to a law.

Main point 3: Many years ago a person named Noman Cousins was diagnosed with terminal illness and
was given six months to live. His chance of recovery was 1 in 500. He asked himself, “If illness can be
caused by negativity, can wellness be created by positivity?” He decided to make an experiment on
himself. Laughter was one of the most positive activities he knew. He stated, "I made the joyous
discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least
two hours of pain-free sleep,". He used to read funny stories, watch funny movies, talk to the closed
ones and surprisingly he lived for 20 more years happily having good health.

There were always two group of people, who supported Euthanasia and who opposed it. This is an
unethical practice. Due to the rise of medical science and technology, many fatal diseases are curable
now. If we try to study the history, it never bought anything good. People who are really suffering from
terminal diseases have enormous pain in their life and that’s why proper mental support is needed as
well as relevant medical treatment to alleviate pain if can’t be properly cured. Many of the patient who
choose to go through euthanasia were simply depressed. In many countries like Japan although
euthanasia is not legal but suicide is not considered as a sin as well. Family bonding, social work to help
the victims is required to prohibit the killing practice also known as Euthanasia.

Conclusion: Life is priceless regardless of unexpected sufferings. Ending life intentionally is never a good
practice rather at most of the occasion this is used as a deadly approach. We must reach out to those
who are in extreme pain and provide proper medical support if possible. There is no dignity in
intentional death. Together, it is very much possible to create a world without unethical life destructive
procedure.
[Attention Getter and visual aids:

Funny quotes:

“Just as the unwanted pregnancy, there are unwanted people in your life you should strive to abort, and
such abortion is not sin, nor harm, but the eradication of a destructive foetus.”

― Michael Bassey Johnson

Interesting fact:

The Hippocratic Oath that doctors take states- “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor
suggest any such counsel” is one of the most widely known statement which can be found in Greek
medical text. This Oath was the ethical foundation and guiding light for medical practice.

Visual aid:

The twins who were going blind and asked to be euthanized

Gas chamber used in Aktion T4 program

Noman Cousins]