LAW DEFIED

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1933, Page 2

LAW DEFIED

SURGEON OPERATES ON WOMAN

STUDENTS WATCH DRAMA

LONDON, May 9

The “Daily Express” understands that a famous London surgeon recently performed an operation in defiance pf the law.

It was done in one of the big teaching hospitals before an audience of ’ students, who were addressed by tlie . surgeon a s the patient, already under j the anaesthetic, was wheeled into tlie | theatre. “T am now about to commit an illegal act,” lie said, “and if there is any representative of the Press hero I would like to draw his attention to it. This woman had already four children when I first saw her, and they are all mentally deficient; her husband has been more than once in an asylum. “Her doctor sent her to see me six months ago when she was expecting another baby and asked if I would consider preventing the further disastrous addition of a fifth'idiot to 1 her family. I refused, because I disapprove of sacrificing the life of an unborn child; but now that that child has been born I am going to make sure that this mother is not put to such distress. “She wants no more children, and she has consented to be sterilised permanently. Well, the law forbids me, but I defy it. Let them prosecute me if they like; 1. should welcome it because the. more publicity focused on this urgent mutter the better, “If this woman were in danger of her life through having more children sterilisation would be quite legal; but to take such a step because she is producing children whose life is a burden to her, the community, and themselves is quite contrary to law. “As you all know, there is a Royal Commission now sitting on the question of the sterilisation of the mentally defective, but as.it is partly composed of people who have made up their minds against sterilisation years ago we can expect nothing better from it than a majority and a minority report.” The operation then began without further departure from routine, and, the procedure being simple, was quickly finished.