While he did not necessarily appreciate or approve of Dax's wish to die, he was also "not inclined to force upon the patient care he did not wish to receive," (7). Dr. Meier's position seemed overall the most neutral of all involved. He knew that part of the reason why Dax was determined to die was because he had overheard an "off-handed remark" made by a careless surgical resident, (34). Meier went on to apply what he learned through Dax's case to caring for the disabled and dying who, like Dax, often wish to die (206). Psychiatrist Dr. White was instrumental in helping Dax regain confidence and self-esteem through his ordeal. While he did help Dax wean himself off of sleeping pills and emerge from a deep depression into a life of productivity, Dr. White still did not heed Dax's wishes or "participate in his suicide," (27). Like the other doctors involved with Dax, White did not feel that allowing him to die would be the correct professional decision....

Although White's actions might have been partly rooted in paternalism, throughout Dax's case he remains one of the key figures in promoting a balanced, non-dualistic perspective on right-to-die issues. White went on to use Dax;s case as a primer in medical ethics.
One of the burn specialists that Dax saw, Dr. Larson, had actually referred Dax to Dr. White after being frustrated with his patient's refusal of treatment. Larson's perspective on Dax was that "if he really wanted to die, he would agree to the surgery...and go home where he could take his own life if he wished," (9). Larson's attitude was paternalistic as well as impersonal. He seemed to care more for his own professional reputation than for the feelings and wishes of his patient. Larson demonstrated "paternalistic dominance" (123). Through the plethora of different responses to Dax's case by Drs. Larson, White, Meier, and Baxter, and by Rex Houston and Ada Cowart, bioethicists can…