Patient unplugged
HH' ' ; J ! | ' ' ' NZPA-AAP ! i ! Melbourne ! A woman’s life support' system was removed in a historic decision to allow! her [toi die, doctors at a leading Melbourne hospital „ said yesterday. ! Her death at St. Vincent’s Hos- : pital is believed to I e the first I in Australia where c qctors withdrew ventilator trea ment at! the request I of a! conscious and officially sane patient. [■ I ‘ J I The incident has focused attention on the! Medical Treatment Bill, due to; be reintroduced in the State Upper House of Parliament today.: I H . The bill clarifies the common law right of patients to refuse
medical treatment.! I ji! I..’' '! St Vincent’s is withholding the married woman’s name. The [woman: had [motor ; neurone disease,' [a [fatal illness which causes “severe arid devastating weakness of the limbs and chest [wall,” said [Dr ; Edward Byme,| a senior doctor at the hospital; i' | F P • 11 i j,Thei' ventilator [ [which J was keeping her alive had become “a burdensome and intrusive”; form ! of treatihent [Lwhich made her' quality of life unbearable, he:, said.' | [4 !.. 11 I' ~; d i The! machine was ! gradually turned off and the [woman died during about six hours. I
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Bibliographic details
Press, 23 March 1988, Page 1
Word Count
199Patient unplugged Press, 23 March 1988, Page 1
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