Euthanasia machine, Australia, 1995-1996

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke 'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London.

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Euthanasia Machine', developed by Dr Philip Nitschke
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

‘Deliverance Machine’ for euthanasia, developed by Dr Philip Nitschke, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, 1995-1996

In 1995, the Northern Territory in Australia became the first jurisdiction in the world to legalise euthanasia. The passing of this state law allowed terminally ill people to end their lives under strictly controlled conditions and led to the development of this machine.

The device consists of a laptop computer with a specially developed 'Deliverance' computer program, syringe driver and other standard medical components. It was operated by the person wishing to die via the keyboard. Answering 'Yes' to a series of questions triggered the release of a fatal injection of drugs.

Euthanasia advocate and then physician Philip Nitschke designed the machine so that while assistance would be needed in connecting it to an individual, they, rather than the medical professional, would have the ultimate control over its actions.

The Northern Territory's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 was overturned within two years by Australia’s federal government, but during the period of its enactment four individuals are known to have used this machine.

Details

Category:
Wellcome (general)
Object Number:
1999-1213
Materials:
copper (metal), steel (metal), metal (unknown), rubber (unidentified), polystyrene, aluminium alloy, lead alloy, lead (metal), cardboard, glass, paper (fibre product) and plastic (unidentified)
Measurements:
overall (case): 200 mm x 490 mm x 310 mm,
type:
euthanasia machine
credit:
Nitschke, Philip