Euthanasia : $b or, Medical treatment in aid of an easy death

Written in the late nineteenth century, this concise treatise addresses a subject that has long been neglected in medical education: the care of patients who are approaching death. The author surveys early writings on the physiology of dying and argues that physicians should view easing the final moments as a core professional duty, alongside curing disease. Drawing on the insights of figures such as Bichat, Sir Henry Halford and Dr. Heberden, the essay challenges the prevailing view that death must be painful and unavoidable.

The work is organized into three parts, examining the observable phenomena of dying, the characteristic symptoms that accompany various terminal conditions, and practical guidelines for providing a calm, dignified passage. It stresses careful observation, judicious use of medicines, and the moral responsibility to smooth the “bed of death.” Though grounded in the medical knowledge of its time, the text offers a humane perspective that still resonates with today’s clinicians and anyone interested in the history of end‑of‑life care.