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No. 2037. PERTH, THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1977
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A milestone in *- Australian urch history
icirews — Ross Mernoria
West Australian church history is taking a dramatic turn this week with the inauguration, both nationally and locally, of the Uniting Church in Australia. Pictured is the sign that will appear outside most of the former Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian churches in Australia.
Surgeon: theologians should
ROME (NC). A leading neurosurgeon who
study brain. •
A majority of former MeModerator of the new the Presbyterian Church, di-, thodist, Presbyterian and Church is Mr. Ron Wilson, stinguishing himself as the' Congregational church Q.C., the West Australian first layman to be Moderagroups will form an Austra- Solicitor-General, who has tor in W.A., in 1965. lian Church unique in to- had an extensive career in (• See Also Pages 7, 8) day's Warm climate of ecumenism and interchurch cooperation. The Church is pointedly described as "uniting" and not 'united," as the process of union is intended to be an ongoing effort, reaching as far' as possible across bridges. that divide religious groups: today.
Dr. White, a surgeon would run the risk that the vital organs of sight, hearing and speech might be rejected with the new brain began Catholic moral theoloto function.) gians to devote less While asserting that a PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS time to sexual morality head transplant probably (An initiative some years and start scientific could be done today, Dr. ago in -India is described as study of life-death White admits that neither "The United Church of SouProblems faced by doche nor other physicians are th and North India" in able to connect the which Anglicans, as well as tors. spinal cord to the brain. Dr. Robert White (51) Baptists, merged with MethThus the transplant pati- odists, Presbyterians and said in an interview in.Rome ent would be paralysed Congregationalists). , during a lecture tour that Among the problems, he enough to carry on an in- from the neck down. moral theologians were unThe'. only other forerunnlisted the field of transplants telligent dialogue on the able to answer questions reer of Australia's Uniting ("The issues have not been morality of certain opera- NO DECISION YET tarding neurosurgery and Church is a similar :merger well-worked"), brain death tions on the brain. Psychosurgery Dr. White said that he that took place in Canada (operations "How can moralists give on brains of criminals and ("We scientists are getting off too easily when we guidelines to surgeons if had not made any personal in 192-5. Psychotics) since they have decision yet on whether or In Australia, the :present "a great lack of knowledge equate human death with they don't understand brain not a head transplant could brain death") and the use function or brain chemisstep is said to be the culabout how the brain. funcever considered be a moral of expensive extraordinary try?" asked the Cleveland mination of discussions that tions." means to conserve life of expert who has successfully operation. mooted the possibility of He said that other mediWhite Dr. said that the transplanted ,the brains of cal problems which could the chronically ill. success of transplants, dia- union as early as 1901. monkeys. be a "gold mine" for moral lysis machines .and other He said that he knew of theology, "could well be- no moral theologian who HEAD extraordinary means of pre- NEGOTIATIONS FAIL TRANSPLANTS come a disaster" if serious understood neurochemistry "There is too much inter- serving life were causing By *1919, 85 per 'cent of study was not begun soon. or neurophysiology well est among the clergy in the mammoth problems for the Methodist and Congregafields of psychology and medical profession. tional Churches favoured "We are able to keep the proposal, but only 60 psychiatry, whereas they need a better education and people alive today for in- per cent of Presbyterians. background in the neuro- credible periods when we Negotiations failed again probably should not," he in 19.35. sciences." Dr. White said that mor- said. New initiatives were takalists could not follow his en in 1954 and 1957, follpresentations on neurosur- HIGH COSTS owed by decisive voting in "Dialysis machines can all Churches in the period gery since "they must bring what I say back into the keep people with kidney 1970-74. realm of classical philoso- trouble alive but the costs are exceedingly high. phy." "Everyone is supposed to W.A. MAN AT HEAD Moralists must start ansFormal membership of wering hard questions about have the best medical care the new Australian Uniting the morality of head trans- possible. "But now decisions have Church is estimated to be plants which, he believed were already technically to be made on the categor- 240,827, but a broad memies of patients who are to bership is considered to be possible. enjoy every advance of in the vicinity of 2,000,000, RISKS medicine. The public, the making it the third largest (He rejects the idea of government and doctors Church in Australia after brain transplants for hum- need direction. Catholic and Anglican bodans, and speaks about head "But moralists are escap- ies. transplants which would ing these problems since In W.A., the confirmed "give the brain the possibil- they are not trained to deal members of the Church are ity of communicating with with the scientific disci- numbered at 12,000 with CANNINGTON: 1308 Albany H/Way. 68 1826 . its environment." In trans- plines," said the neurosur- some, 60 ministers in the pa$881 lic 0891. planting only the brain, said geon. rishes.
transplants
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