ight to that life belongs
to them rather than to the physician. The same duty of consulting their
wishes exists when not life but the possible loss of a limb is at stake,
or the bearing of uncommon sufferings. Moralists teach that a man is not
obliged in conscience to submit to an extraordinarily painful or
revolting operation even to save his life. Certainly, when the natural
law leaves him at liberty, the physician cannot compel him to submit to
his dictation; all he can do is to obtain his consent by moral
persuasion.

4. As a consequence from the Doctor's duty to use only safe means it
follows that he cannot experiment on his patients by the use of
treatment of which he does not know the full power for good or evil. Nor
is he excused from responsibility in this matter by the fact that the
experiment thus made on one patient may be very useful to many others.
His contract is with the one now under treatment, who is not willing, as
a rule to be experimented upon for the benefit of others. And even if
the patient should be willing, the Doctor cannot lawfully expose him to
grievous danger unless it be the only hope of preserving his life. This
follows from the principle explained before, that human life belongs
chiefly to God and not to man exclusively.

5. There are various kinds of medical treatment to which we can scarcely
have recourse without exposing ourselves to serious evil consequences.
Such is the use of cocaine, morphine, and even in special cases of
alcohol. The drugs in themselves are useful, but they often lead to evil
results. Now in the use of all such drugs as are apt to be beneficial in
one way and injurious in another, we must ever be guided by the rules
formerly explained concerning evil indirectly willed, or rather
permitted to result, while good results are directly willed or intended.
If the Doctor is satisfied that a dose of morphine or an application of
cocaine will do more good than harm, he can, of course, prescribe or
apply it. Still in such matters he must remember that the good effect is
but temporary, while its pernicious consequences, especially when habits
are thus contracted, are likely to be permanent and cumulative. Besides,
the good results affect the body only, the evil often affect body and
soul. Many a wreck in health and morals has been caused by imprudent
recourse to dangerous treatment, where a little more patience and wisdom
would have been equally efficient in curing the bod