Sir, I have just received a newsletter from the Medical Council. Dr J. Clinch, Chairman of the Ethics Committee, comments on the "Ward of Court" case. He states that access to nutrition and hydration is one of the basic needs of human beings. He mentions naso gastric and gastrostomy tube feeding.
Is Dr Clinch talking about the dying? Surely not. If he is, then all dying people should be force fed and force dripped until they take their last miserable breath. The dying could be sustained by these methods for months or years.
The dying should be allowed to die. There is dignity in death. The promise of eternal life rests with God, not the medical profession. Yours, etc., Stillorgan Wood, Blackrock, Co Dublin.