Withholding Treatment from Defective Newborns

Abstract

The birth of Siamese twins to a Danville, Illinois physician and his wife on May 5,1981, renewed the recurrent debate on the morality, ethics, and legality of euthanasia for severely defective newborns. The twins, Jeff and Scott Mueller, were joined below the waist and shared the lower part of their digestive tract and three legs. Later studies revealed internal anomalies as well. At birth they were in critical condition, suffering from respiratory distress, and were not expected to survive more than a few days.A note written by a nurse, and countersigned by Dr. Petra Warren, reading “do not feed in accordance with parents’ wishes” was entered on their hospital chart. Several nurses disobeyed the order and fed the infants. As the twins continued to live, against expectations, word of their birth spread. An anonymous caller informed the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services that they were being starved to death.