What Is a Human Being?

In Littleton, Col., one Dr. Harold E. Blazer chloroformed his 32-year-old daughter. Last week he was to be put on trial for murder and the court set about impaneling a jury. On the first day, 47 men were examined--farmers, mechanics, laborers, business men; out of this number 12 could not be found who did not state in definite terms that they were incontrovertibly prejudiced in favor of the defendant. Yet the case against Blazer was clear. The question raised by the disqualified jurymen involved an exceedingly subtle definition of law, an exceedingly complicated issue of ethics. "To commit murder you have to kill a human being, haven't you?" they asked.

Hazel Blazer, the "object" chloroformed by Dr. Blazer, was described by the defendant's son-in-law as follows: "A scrap of breathing flesh, unable to feed, clothe herself, or otherwise care for her own personal needs. The only exercise she ever got was when she was placed on the floor when the weather was warm and allowed to roll around. She couldn't talk--the only time I ever heard her utter a vocal sound was once when she fell on a hot furnace grating. Then she uttered a sort of animal sound. She was absolutely helpless."

By Dr. Blazer's other (normal) daughter she was described as follows: "She was utterly helpless. Her body was terribly twisted. She couldn't walk, couldn't feed herself and was not able even to brush a fly from her face. The noises she made were animal-like and frightened strangers. The sight of her eating was so revolting that I couldn't stand it to watch her."

"What," asked the defense, "is a human being?"