Pain, Suffering and Euthanasia: what is a good death?
by Jean Westbury “Euthanasia” has its roots in Greek, eu meaning “good”, and thanatos meaning “death”. In the 1600s, it meant simply “a gentle and easy death”, such as a peaceful passing provided with good palliative care. Only in the late 1860s was the word co-opted to refer to legally sanctioned mercy killing. Death is…