[hocndoc]

Did the law allow for denial of hydration "by natural means" as Greer decreed?

[HiTech RedNeck]

Why yes! It was pigeonholed as "unwarranted experimental treatment."

Goebbels would be proud.

[Destro]

Regarding hydration "by natural means". Terri could not swallow or chew food - she could reflexively allow saliva to drip down her throat that causes a reflex swallow but that is all. Can you point to me where the judge forbade "natural means"? If a person can chew or swallow they are not in a PVS. All her parents had to do to show that she was not in a PVS was have her sip water from a spoon or chew a cookie.

The judge determined in his ruling based on evidence from court appointed medical team that Terri was in a PVS and thus could not swallow. When he gave the ruling to pull the life support (feeding tube is life support order Florida statue). As part of that ruling he did not allow outsiders to come in and try and interfere with that decision. If she could swallow water on her own she would not have been allowed to die of a natural death (natural for someone in her condition (can't drink or eat) - just like death from kidney failure or heart failure is a natural death for someone in that condition).