Famous last words: This is taking too long
The last words of a 104-year-old scientist who travelled from Australia to Switzerland for assisted suicide were: ‘‘This is taking an awfully long time.’’
David Goodall, who declared himself ‘‘very happy’’ to be taking his own life, administered a fatal dose of barbiturate at the Life Circle clinic near Basle. He died listening to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. His last meal was his favourite: fish and chips followed by cheesecake.
Though not terminally ill, he announced at his 104th birthday party that he no longer wished to live because of failing vision, hearing and mobility.
The botanist made headlines in 2016 when he successfully resisted his university’s attempts to force him to work from home because he was deemed a health and safety risk on campus.
He had long been a supporter of the right for people ‘‘past middle age’’ to choose to die and said that he had tried to commit suicide several times.
Goodall was declared dead at 12.30pm, according to Philip Nitschke, founder of Exit International, the Australian assisted dying group. He hoped that his example would lead to a change in the law in Australia.
Speaking in the room where he later died, Goodall, who was born in London in 1914, said: ‘‘My life has been rather poor for the last year or so. And I’m very happy to end it.’’
Nitschke said that before activating the drip in his arm Goodall had to answer ‘‘several questions so he knew who he was, where he was and what he was about to do’’. He added: ‘‘He answered those questions with great clarity and activated the process.’’ Exit International said that Goodall had asked for his body to be donated to medical science or for his ashes to be scattered locally. ‘‘He wishes to have no funeral, no remembrance service or ceremony,’’ the group said. ‘‘David has no belief in the afterlife.’’
Nine years ago there were 297 assisted suicides in Switzerland. By 2015, the most recent year for figures, this had tripled to 965. Nearly 15 per cent of those were aged under 65.