Assisted suicide - global trends / Daily News, 31 May 2007
http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/05/31/fea02.asp
Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne
"The practice of assisted suicide is steeped in ancient tradition and lore and is by no means a modern phenomenon. History records that, in ancient Greece, the government made available hemlock to those who requested it.
William Shakespeare memorialised the enduring Roman practice in Julius Caesar by depicting Brutus running into the sword held by Strato. In ancient times, assisted suicide was frequently seen as a way to proclaim one’s honour and preserve it for posterity. However, times have changed, particularly over the past twenty-five years, where the practice has been viewed as a corollary to the progress of modern medicine.
Passive euthanasia-disconnecting a respirator or removing a feeding tube-has become an accepted solution to this dilemma. Active euthanasia-perhaps an overdose of pills or a deadly injection of morphine-remains controversial."