Statement on the Bollinger Baby, November 18, 1915

Chicago, Nov. 18. -- Miss Jane Addams, who last night bitterly denounced Dr. Haiselden for his refusal to operate and save the life of the Bollinger baby, today said defectives were not necessarily a burden to society and, in many cases of persons living as well as dead, they had been among the world's greatest men and women. She named these persons to show that a physician or a hospital board has not the right to assume the prerogative to say that any person shall be killed, but is required by the highest moral law to save every life that possibly can be saved. Miss Addams' list of the world's greatest defectives follows:

LIST OF NOTABLES HEADED BY HELEN KELLER.

HELEN KELLER -- She was not born with infirmities, but they came afterward -- blindness, deafness, loss of power of speech. Despite all these obstacles, she refused to be discouraged or throw into discard. She is an accomplished woman today -- a benefit to the world.

JOHN MILTON -- Greatest of all English poets, wrote "Paradise Lost," even though he was blind.

LORD BYRON -- Born clubfooted, but he became one of the sweetest singers of the English voice, a social favorite, a soldier of fortune and a man to whom the world must ever pay tribute.

DEQUINCY -- Master of English, is generally credited with having been what scientists term today a "mental defective."

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON -- Author of "Treasure Island" and many other books, equally able and famous, was tubercular from early life. He was forced to fight daily to keep the spark of life burning, yet he wrote some of the masterpieces of American literature.

NAPOLEON DIDN'T HAVE THYROID GLANDS.

NAPOLEON -- According to the modern physicians, probably went through his life without any thyroid glands. He was an under-sized, sickly boy and man yet he rose from the person of a poor Corsican to Emperor pf France, became the world's greatest military strategist, framer of the still living Napoleonic code of laws, and whipped all Europe on the field of battle.

MARSHALL P. WILDER -- Made king and pauper throughout the world laugh, even though a physical dwarf. He taught himself to be so entertaining that the world forgot his deformities and he died known as one of the world's greatest comedians.

DEMOSTEHENES -- Greatest of Greek orators, perhaps greatest in the world, was born tongue-tied. He made himself an orator despite this most discouraging of defects.

TALLYRAND WAS BORN CRIPPLE.

TALLYRAND -- One of the most famous of French premiers, was born a cripple. It was he who said: "Only fools and women write letters."

PETER STUYVESANT -- Early Dutch governor of New York and founder of the present Stuyvesant family in America, had but one good leg. This did not deter him from becoming a great leader among his people; also, despite this infirmity, became known as one of the best bowlers of his day.

DR. CHARLES PROTEUS STEINMETZ -- Wizard of the General Electric company and considered by many electricians the equal if not the superior of Thomas Edison, has suffered from physical infirmities from babyhood.