ABSTRACT
Developments in medical knowledge, technology and skill have dramatically improved the chances of survival of small and sick infants. So much is now possible and so much is attempted that, in modern practice, 'nature' is rarely left to take its course. It is important to pause periodically and reflect on current practice. Numbered among the most vulnerable must be the very young – babies who cannot protect their own interests. Since classical antiquity the practice of exposing or killing infants has been countenanced in some cultures. An infant who has known no other kind of life might assess his own existence as fulfilled and worthwhile, whereas an observer might rate it quite differently. Although it is generally accepted that the wider interests of society and of costs are secondary considerations which should never overrule the best interests of the individual baby, the infant's interests cannot be altogether divorced from those of the family.
