In this reprinting of a very important book for our current times, Dr. Cameron links the rise of the "new medicine" and the fall of the Hippocratic tradition to society's increased acceptance of the practices of euthanasia and assisted suicide. He states that "the medical profession is liable to follow any fundamental shift in society's values" and points to the relationship between Nazi Germany and the Nuremberg "medical crimes" as an example. In the absence of the Hippocratic prohibition against the killing of patients by their physicians, the fundamental value of protecting life is displaced. The desires of society to avoid suffering, financial burden, and inconvenience then lead to increasing support for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. The author contends that it is imperative for the medical profession to return to its Hippocratic roots. (Publisher)
