Merciful Release: A History of the British Euthenasia Movement

Merciful Release provides the first comprehensive study of the British euthanasia movement from its inception in the philosophic debates of the late 19th Century, to the storm-center of contemporary medical, legal, and ethical debate concerning physician-assisted suicide. Drawing upon a wealth of hitherto unexplored archival material and periodical literature, the book traces the delicate interplay of medicine, politics, philosophical debate, public opinion, and the fluctuating fortunes of the euthanasia movement.