Abstract
The thesis of this paper is that there has been a gradual liberalization of thinking in the U.S. since the 1950's about what is morally allowable in how individuals control their own dying. The degree of liberalization will be plotted based on changes in public and professional opinion, landmark court cases, publication of books about dying, key players in the public eye, and the emergence of more organizations promoting death with dignity. More recent developments show a growing interest in finding better ways to respond to the needs of the dying. A final section speculates on the future of death with dignity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
In re Quinlan, 70 N.J. 10, 355 A.2d 647, cert denied sub nom. Garger v. New Jersey, 429 U.S. 922 (1976).
Capron, A., “Death and Dying: Professional and Public Policies,” in W. Reich, ed., Encyclopedia of Bioethics. V.1. New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan, 1995, pp. 583-588.
Perel, A., and Stock, M., Handbook of Mechanical Ventilatory Support. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1991; Bunker, J., “Artificial Organ and Life-Support Systems,” in W. Reich, op. cit., pp. 198–206.
Williams, R., “Our Role in the Generation, Modification and Termination of Life,” Archives of Internal Medicine 124(2) (1969), pp. 215-237.
Paris, J., “When Burdens of Feeding Outweigh Benefits,” Hastings Center Report 16(1) (1986), pp. 30-32.
Pope Pius XII, “The Prolongation of Life,” The Pope Speaks 4 (1957), pp. 393-398.
Kelly, G., Medico-Moral Problems. St. Louis: Catholic Hospital Association, 1957, p. 129.
Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. “Declaration on Euthanasia,” Rome: Vatican, 1980, sec. IV.
Carson, R., “The Symbolic Significance of Giving to Eat,” in J. Lynn, ed., By No Extraordinary Means: The Choice to Forgo Life-Sustaining Food and Drink. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1986; Callahan, D., “On Feeding the Dying,” Hastings Center Report 13(5) (1983), p. 22.
Flynn, E., Hard-Decisions: Forgoing and Withdrawing Artificial Nutrition and Hydration. Kansas City, MO: Sheed and Ward, 1990, pp. 11-17.
President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research, Deciding to Forego Life Sustaining Treatment. Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1983; Hastings Center, Guidelines on the Termination of Life-Sustaining Treatment and the Care of the Dying. Briarcliff Manor, NY: The Hastings Center, 1987.
American Medical Association (AMA), Code of Medical Ethics: Current Opinions with Annotations. Chicago: AMA, 1996, pp. 39-41.
Cruzan v. Director, MO Dept. of Health, 110 USSCT 2841 (1990).
Paris, J., and McCormick, R., “The Catholic Tradition on the Use of Nutrition and Fluids,” America 156(17) (1987), pp. 356-361.
Kelly, G., “The Duty of Using Artificial Means of Preserving Life,” Theological Studies 11 (1950), pp. 203-220.
Flynn, E., op. cit., pp. 68-91.
Heaney, S., “You Can't be any Poorer than Dead: Difficulties in Recognizing Artificial Nutrition and Hydration as Medical Treatments,” Linacre Quarterly 61(2) (1994), pp. 77-87; McCarthy, J., “Caring for the Critically Ill Patient in a Persistent Vegetative State,” Linacre Quarterly 61(2) (1994), pp. 63–76.
Committee for Pro-Life Activities, Nutrition and Hydration: Moral and Pastoral Reflections. Washington, DC: National Conference of Catholic Bishops, April 1992.
McCarthy, J., ibid., p. 68.
Sehgal, A., et al., “Advance Directives and Withdrawal of Dialysis in the U.S., Germany, and Japan,” Journal of the American Medical Association 276(20) (1996), pp. 1652-1656. Wood, L., and Del Papa, L., “Nurses' Attitudes, Ethical Reasons, and Knowledge of the Law Concerning Advance Directives,” Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship 28(4) (1996), p. 371.
Marshall, P., “The SUPPORT Study: Who's Talking,” Hastings Center Report 25(6) (1995), pp. S9-S11.
Roberts, C., and Gorman, M., Euthanasia: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABCCLIO, 1996, pp. 252-253.
Quill, T., “Death and Dignity: A Case of Individualized Decision Making,” New England Journal of Medicine 324(10) (1991), pp. 691-694.
AMA, 1994, op. cit., p. 51; American Nurses Association, Position Statement on Assisted Suicide. Kansas City, MO: ANA, 1994.
AMA, 1996, op cit., p. 56.
Humphry, D., and Wickett, A., The Right to Die: An Historical and Legal Perspective of Euthanasia. Eugene, OR: Hemlock Society, 1990, pp. 63-90.
Williams, R., op. cit.
Williams, R., “The End of Life in the Elderly,” PostGraduate Medicine 54(6) (1973), pp. 55-59.
Emanuel, E., “Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: Attitudes and Experiences of Oncology Patients, Oncologists, and the Public,” The Lancet 347(9018) (1996), pp. 1805-1810.
Larson, K., “Poll Shows Doctors Support Death with Dignity,” Time Lines 65 (11/95–2/96), p. 1.
Bachman, J., et al., “Attitudes of Michigan Physicians and the Public Toward Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia,” New England Journal of Medicine 334(5) (1996), pp. 303-309; Back, A., Wallace, J., Starks, H., and Pearlman, R., “Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in Washington State: Patient Requests and Physician Responses,” Journal of the American Medical Association 275(12) (1996), pp. 919–925.
Asch, D., “The Role of Critical Care Nurses in Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide,” New England Journal of Medicine 334(21) (1996), pp. 1374-1379.
Humphry, D., Final Exit: Self Deliverance and Assisted Suicide. New York: Hemlock Society, 1991.
Roberts, C., and Gorman, M., op. cit., p. 258.
Marzuk, P., et al., “The Effect of Access to Lethal Methods of Injury on Suicide Rates,” Archives of General Psychiatry 49(6) (1992), pp. 451-458; “Increase in Suicide by Asphyxiation in New York City After the Publication of Final Exit,” New England Journal of Medicine 329(20) (1993), pp. 1508–1510.
Website. www.compassionindying.org (11/97).
Vacco v. Quill, 95 USSCT 1858 (1997); Washington v. Glucksberg, 96 USSCT 110 (1997).
AMA, 1996, op cit., p. 40.
Brief of the AMA, et al., #96-110, November 12, 1996.
May, W., “Double Effect.” in W. Retch, ed., Encyclopedia of Bioethics V.1. New York: Free Press, 1978, pp. 316-320.
Cruzan, op cit.; Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992).
Gianelli, D., “Oregon Assisted-Suicide Vote Still Raises Questions, Obstacles,” American Medical News 40(44) (1997), pp. 21-22.
Website. www.cp-tel.net/pamnorth/history.htm (11/97).
Emanuel, E., et al., “Cost Savings at the End of Life: What Do the Data Show?” Journal of the American Medical Association 275(24) (1996), pp. 1907-1914.
Schute, N., “Death with More Dignity,” US News and World Report 122(7) (1997), pp. 61-62.
SUPPORT Principal Investigators, “A Controlled Trial to Improve Care for Seriously Ill Hospitalized Patients: The Study to Understand Prognosis and Preferences for Outcomes and Risks of Treatment,” Journal of the American Medical Association 274(20) (1995), pp. 1591-1598.
Lee, M., and Tolle, S., “Oregon's Assisted Suicide Vote: The Silver Lining,” Annals of Internal Medicine 124 (1996), pp. 267-269.
AP News, “Oregon Leads Nation in Medical Use of Morphine,” American Medical News 40(39) (1997), p. 20.
Ashburn, M., “Interdisciplinary Chronic Pain Management Programs,” Journal of Pharmaceutical Care in Pain and Symptom Control 2(3) (1994), pp. 7-24.
Practice and Policy Guidelines Panel—NIH Office of Alternative Medicine, “Clinical Guidelines in Complementary and Alternative Medicine,” Archives of Family Medicine 6(2) (1997), pp. 149-154.
Ferrel, B., et al., “Pain Management at Home—Struggle, Comfort, and Mission,” Cancer Nurse 16(3) (1993), pp. 169-178.
Osgood, N., “Suicide: Aged Adults,” in R. & B. Kastenbaum, eds., Encyclopedia of Death. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1989, pp. 231-233.
Landes, A., Blair, C., and Quiram, J., eds., Death and Dying: Who Decides. Wylie, TX: Information Plus, 1996, p. 158.
Osgood, N., Brant, B., and Lipman, A., “Patterns of Suicidal Behavior in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Preliminary Report,” Omega, Journal of Death and Dying 1(1) (1988–9), pp. 69-78.
Hoyert, D., “Mortality Trends for Alzheimer's Disease, 1979–91,” Vital and Health Statistics, series 20, no. 28, January 1996.
Valente, S., “Suicide and Elderly People: Assessment and Intervention,” Omega, Journal of Death and Dying, 28(4) (1994), pp. 317-332; Richman, J., Preventing Elderly Suicide: Overcoming Personal Despair, Professional Neglect, and Social Bias. New York: Springer, 1993.
Osgood, N., Suicide in the Elderly: A Practitioner's Guide to Diagnosis and Mental Health Intervention. Rockville, MD: Aspen, 1985.
Washington, DC. “Many Suicides Can be Prevented.” American Medical News 40(40) (1997): p. 35.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Connelly, R. Death with Dignity: Fifty Years of Soul-Searching. Journal of Religion and Health 37, 195–214 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022981721537
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022981721537