Eugenic Euthanasia

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that eugenic euthanasia means the active or passive killing of 'defective' babies for the betterment of heredity. From Martin S. Pernick's book "The Black Stork: Eugenics and the Death of "Defective" Babies in American Medicine and Motion Pictures since 1915", the author relates the story of Dr.Haiselden, who publicized the death of baby Bollinger. Haiselden's idea of withholding treatment of 'defective' babies, the paper relates, won the acceptance of many Americans, including physicians and parents thereby changing professional beliefs about eugenic euthanasia from the late nineteenth century to the early years of the twentieth century.

From the Paper:

"The meaning of the word 'heredity' also changed from the late nineteenth century to the times of Haiselden. The professionals of the late nineteenth century believed heredity was not permanent. If a parent had passed on good habits to one generation those habits could be ruined and lost by another generation. Thus emphasis was put on improving the environment instead of controlling breeding. They believed if one's life conditions could be improved their children would inherit the goods."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Pernick, Martin S. 1996. : Eugenics and the death of "defective" babies in American medicine and motion pictures since 1915. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.

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• Persuasive Essay # 64307 : "Euthanasia and Philosopher Richard Doerflinger"
• Argumentative Essay # 63563 : "Opposition to Euthanasia"
• Term Paper # 35716 : "Euthanasia Policies"

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