Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic medicine and Toxicology. Vol. 1 — John Shaqi
Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic medicine and Toxicology. Vol. 1Witthaus, R. A. (Rudolph August)
Science
Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic medicine and Toxicology. Vol. 1
Witthaus, R. A. (Rudolph August)
Medical jurisprudence; Poisons; Toxicology
& Ell. (N. S.), 927, it is said:
“A physician attends in every case on request; that fact alone is
not enough for the inference of a special contract;” and see Sellen
_v._ Norman, 4 Carr. & P., 284. Still less where there has been no
special request by the father to the physician, and no more than
acquiescence in his calls. As it would be unnatural for the parent
of an invalid child, though legally emancipated, or for an intimate
and confidential friend of hers, not to know the rise and course of
her malady, not to be interested in the state of it as disclosed at
any time to skilled inspection, not to be so anxious as to be in
waiting when scientific skill was to be applied for its cure, not to
be ready to receive directions for treatment in the intervals; so it
is not to be implied in the one case more than in the other that,
from these manifestations, because unaccompanied with an express
repudiation of liability, a liability may be implied. They are to be
referred to natural affection and friendly sympathy, rather than to
an acquiescence in the rendition of a personal benefit, or counted as
acts done under a sense of legal obligation.” The Court further said
that “even if it should be assumed that the usage exists that the
physician called to consult with him who is in attendance, with the
consent of the person who has employed the latter, is in contemplation
of law in the hire of that person, still the assent of the defendant
to the calling in of the consulting physician, and his expression of
desire to be present when he came—until he is shown to have employed
the plaintiff—is a basis too weak for an implication of law, that
he promised to pay his consultation fees. Still less it is a fact
from which to imply a promise to pay the plaintiff.” This case is,
however, close to the border line, and it may be well criticised
and denied its apparent full weight of authority, notwithstanding
the very great learning and ability of the learned Judge Folger,
who wrote the opinion, upon the ground that it appears that the
father had as a witness expressly denied calling in the plaintiff or
authorizing anybody to call him in, or authorizing the employment of a
consulting physician, and that on the trial the Court had found upon
the whole testimony in the case that the defendant had never employed
the plaintiff. Taking the decision as a whole it cannot be regarded
as determining that upon such a set of circumstances as is there
disclosed, the father could not in any event have been held liable,
but rather that the trial court having found upon the whole testimony
that the defendant was not liable, having witnesses before it fully
able to judge of their capability, the appellate court could not say
as a matter of law that a finding in favor of the defendant should be
overruled. This case is considered here at some length chiefly for
the purpose of affording an illustration to physicians and surgeons
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