in an article in the "bulletin of the history of medicine", brown university historian jacob m. appel documented extensive political debate over legislation to legalize physician-assisted suicide in both iowa and ohio in 1906. appel indicates social activist anna sophina hall, a wealthy heiress who had watched her mother die after an extended battle with liver cancer, was the driving force behind this movement. according to historian ian dowbiggin, leading public figures, including clarence darrow and jack london, advocated for the legalization of euthanasia.