Students' Congress Moral Issues Of Medical Advances

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30041, 28 January 1963, Page 10

Students' Congress Moral Issues Of Medical Advances

(From Our Own Reporter)

PICTON, January 27.

A call to New Zealand to lead the way in meeting the moral issues created by the advances in medicine was made by Dr. E. Geiringer, a former member of the faculty of medicine at Otago University, at the University Students’ Association .congress at Curious Cove on Saturday.

Medicine was a technology, said Dr. Geiringer, yet it had come up with what the people wanted—-the power over life and death. This development meant medicine was becoming a moral arbiter.

“The men who know how to make and take life will tell you when to do it,’’ said Dr. Geiringer. Medicine had become a potential menace, Dr. Geiringer raid. It had succeeded in preventing people dyinginfectious diseases had always controlled naturally the rate of population growth—but now the world was faced with a population explosion. At the point when the world faced starvation the doctors intervened and invented contraception, said Dr.

Geiringar. Contraception had once been a thing to be kept out of the public eye—now it was a matter to about over the roof-tape. A man's private Ute used to be his own. Now medicine was erodinc his privacy

away. “We are entering an age where reproduction is becoming a matter of public concern.” Mid Dr. Geiringer. “Artificial forms of life will soon be made In test tubes." The next question to be faced was who should create thia life, and when, and what sort at life should it be?

“We are beginning to usurp the functions of God.” Mid Dr. Geiringer. Man’s instinct did not tell him when to create, and when no* to create Ufa. The very nature of life was something which now needed analysing. Was a man dead when he became unconscious, when his heat* stopped beating, or because he had one kidney removed?

“The state of mtad and body of a person to subject to chemical and physical taws which can be interfered with end manipulated.” This constituted a greet potential power for government.

Responsibilities Of Students

(N.Z. Press Assodsttow) BLENHEIM. Jen. 27. Putter C. J. Hailey, CMhotic cbaptata to the university students* amgrasa at Curious Core, told the congress today that the students themselves improved the attitude of the public towards New Zealand univetuMuee. “Uniwrsitise have freedom of mind and knowledge. In other groups at society it to difficult to got complete freedom.” he said.

Scientists’ True Role

(From Oar Oioa Keportsr) PKTON. January 27. The need for greeter understanding of science by the rest of society was streaed by ter. J. N. Dodd, reader in phyates at Otago University, in an address to the Uhtorersity Students* Association congress at Curious Cove today. ‘‘We read IreqnaoMy foot setoutiata hare proved this or that,” be eaid. c ßw. scientists here never ever proved anything. The true scientist is much too humMe a person to do any such thing.” The job of the scientist was to be a sceptic, tmttnually criticising and testing has own assumptions in an eflbrt to find stronger assumptions.

Opportunity For Individuality

(NX Press AaseetaMoa) _ .BUNtflfil. J®. 27. w Professor E. W. Berd, of the ttea to “break assay tram the mouMnf ata*as«yasMaatabfoeml Wsfimsor Hard told more than, » tendmte at foe umyukr foret into’ Congress at Cuetous Core font foe ata*varying fistda of stagy. -■Mb atataH dwS n Ms owe spaeM chereotariattM and ispeciajiteoe hastesri ef onta modsretofy wen.’’ he said.