Merciful Releaseprovides the first comprehensive study of the British euthanasia movement from its inception in the philosophic debates of the late 19th Century, to the storm-center of contemporary medical, legal, and ethical debate concerning physician-assisted suicide. Drawing upon a wealth of hitherto unexplored archival material and periodical literature, the book traces the delicate interplay of medicine, politics, philosophical debate, public opinion, and the fluctuating fortunes of the euthanasia movement.