Some Historical Notes on the Diagnosis of Death – the Emergence of the Brain Death Concept

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

This paper demonstrates that discussions about the diagnosis of death and the meaning of states of suspended animation existed long before the publication of the Harvard criteria in 1968. The surgeons who started retrieving kidneys from heart beating cadavers have been accused to redefine death in order to obtain high quality organs. In fact, they were not aware of modifying a definition. They did not view death as a philosophical concept but considered that it was a biological phenomenon of which brain death was merely a new expression resulting from the development of resuscitation and intensive care procedures.