Fair warning to the reader: Culture of Death: The Assault
on Medical Ethics in America, by Wesley J. Smith, is hard
for me to review. I work at Rush–Presbyterian–St.
Luke's Medical Center, where in April 1989, Rudy Linares
removed his son, Sammy, from a ventilator at gunpoint. I took
the criticism hard and was critical of others who were in the
outcry. In fact, some of the people Smith criticizes are people
with whom I had differences. Yet, Smith's views are so
harsh and alien to my understanding of the culture and practice
of healthcare that I find them off-putting. Further, he and
I participate in the same listserv, where I often disagree with
his postings.