Dr. J. Norman Berry, a Catholic physician, says the proposed changes in Georgia’s abortion laws should be defeated. He called for a review of the present law covering therapeutic abortion.

Writing in today’s Georgia Bulletin, Dr. Berry said, “Proposed changes ‘liberalizing’ the current abortion laws are based largely on the dubious doctrine or humanitarianism and the questionable ethic of utilitarianism. Purely medical indications are absent or lacking in substance.”

Dr. Berry said nowhere in the proposed changes (House Bill 281) is the inherent right of the unborn child to life even mentioned, much less provided for. “Enactment of these changes would not reduce the number of illegal abortions, as we know from the example of certain countries which have long had far more liberal abortion laws.”

The physician said, “The proposed changes should be defeated, and the present law concerning abortion in Georgia should be reviewed. If necessary the law should be changed to provide maximum protection for the potential parents, the unborn child and the conscientious and ethical physician.”

Dr. Berry asked persons to contact their senators asking them to review the present state law on abortion, and if necessary revise it so that:

1. No physician acting in his best medical judgment and to the best dictates of his conscience could be prosecuted, provided that

2) The legal right to life of the innocent unborn and the rights of both prospective parents also are protected to the fullest extent of the law.

Dr. Berry said the number of therapeutic abortions had dropped to about 10,000 a year in the United States and many obstetricians feel that is should be much less.

“Serious threats to the life and health of the mother solely due to pregnancy, rarely, if ever, occur.”

“Since the incidence of ‘therapeutic’ abortion is already declining, why all the pressure to ‘liberalize’ the existing laws?”

“Obviously the reasons are not medical; they are socioeconomic and ‘humanitarian,’” the physician commented.

“Humanitarianism is the doctrine that man’s obligations are limited to the welfare of mankind and that man may perfect his own nature without the aid of divine grace. An attractive philosophy, but hardly worthy of man, who long ago discovered that the earth was not the center of the universe.”

“Nevertheless, it becomes even more attractive when combined with utilitarianism, which states that any action is ethical or moral so long as it accomplishes the greatest good for the greatest number (the end justifies the means). This combination of thinking has been used to justify eugenic sterilization, abortion, medical experimentation without consent, genocide and war,” Dr. Berry said.

Dr. Berry, a member of St. Jude’s parish, has been in the private practice of internal medicine in Sandy Springs since 1959. His teaching appointments include associate clinical professor of medicine at Emory University; instructor at the Grady Cardiac Clinic; lecturer in cardiology at Piedmont Hospital. he is a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a lifetime fellow of the American College of Physicians.

In another development, the bill was discussed in detail Tuesday night in a meeting at the chancery.

Father Noel C. Burtenshaw, chancellor, said a similar bill is pending in 23 states. “Our attitude is that the fetus is a person and should be protected, and we consider the bill to be bad legislation.”