Letter in Liberty, August 2005, p. 32

Second Opinion

[Bracketed text is original, italicized was added by Liberty's editor.]

Two letters to the editor (July) [The July 2005 Liberty prints letters from Taras Wolansky and Robert Considine which] assert that Terri Schiavo was not in a persistent vegetative state, arguing that only a PET scan or MRI could have given conclusive evidence. [This overlooks the clear data of the CT scans.] Take a look at the online transcript of The Abrams Report interview with Ronald Cranford, a neurologist who had the advantage of actually examining Schiavo (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7328639/), and look at the CT scan pictured. The large dark spots in the center are where the cerebral cortex is completely gone. So much cortex was gone that a PET or MRI scan was completely superfluous.

Those interested in the facts of this case should read the December 2003 report of Terri's guardian ad litem, Dr. Jay Wolfson from the University of South Florida, which may be found online at https://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/WolfsonReport.pdf. [I also highly recommend the rest of the coverage at this site, https://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/infopage.html]

Those who argue that Schiavo was conscious and aware are simply engaging in wishful thinking at odds with the facts.

Jim Lippard
Phoenix, Ariz.