Evaluation of Scholarly Sources

Jahi McMath's tragic demise has sparked the penmanship of several scholarly articles about brain death and the lines between legal and medical death. In many articles, scientists attempt to explain why the controversy started in the first place. Others try to discover what exactly causes brain death and if it can be prevented or possibly cured.

"Traumatic Brain Injury with Herniation," Public Domain

Through the Web of Science database, I was able to find a scholarly article published in Chest Journal, the official journal of American chest physicians. The article, "The Uncommon Case of Jahi McMath," was written by John M. Luce, MD, MSL. The purpose of the article is to attempt to scientifically explain the reasoning behind both sides of the controversy. The article focuses on medical issues, although it does touch on the media and legal aspects of the case. The intended audience is scholars, although the article was written in a way that is not entirely crowded with legal and medical jargon. The article sites valuable references, such as local news, primary sources, interviews with lawyers, and the paperwork from the various legal documentation produced by the controversy.

Also through the Web of Science database, I discovered a second scholarly article, "Accepting Brain Death," by David C. Magnus, Ph.D., Benjamin S. Wilfond, M.D., and Arthur L. Caplan, Ph.D.  The article, published in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine, took the stance that brain death is death of the body and mind. However, the articles did provide ample support for the families of both Jahi McMath and Marlise Muñoz, another brain-death victim. The intended audience is medical practitioners and those involved in the medical field; however, this article is applicable for any person trying to cope with the brain death of a loved one. The source cites other scholarly sources such as Harvard medical studies and no primary sources.

Sadly, it does not look like either of the articles or studies that accompany them will aid McMath or allow her to wake up. My interest in this controversy lies in my hope to someday find a way to allow neurons that have ceased firing to restart.