The proofs of infanticide considered: including Dr. Hunter's tract on child murder, with illustrative notes ; and a summary of the present state of medico-legal knowledge on that subject / By William Cummin, M.D.

  • Cummin, William, 1800-1837.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The proofs of infanticide considered: including Dr. Hunter's tract on child murder, with illustrative notes ; and a summary of the present state of medico-legal knowledge on that subject / By William Cummin, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    lady was in the prime of life, living in affluence^, beloved by her family, and respected by all the world. No imagination could suggest an idea of her intending to destroy herself; but if her situation in life at that time could have favoured such a sup- position, we see in fact that the most unquestionable proof that she could have saved herself, either by going on, or by turning back, or by standing still, would have signified nothing towards proving that she had intended to put an end to her own life and to that of her child. One shudders to think that innocent women may have suffered an ignominious death from such equivocal proofs and inconclusive reasoning. (^) Most of these reflections would naturally occur to any unprejudiced person, and therefore, upon a trial in this country, where we are so happy as to be under the protection of judges, who, by their educa- tion, studies, and habits, are above the reach of vulgar prejudices, and make it a rule for their conduct to suppose the accused party innocent fill guilt be proved; with such judges, I say,, there will be little danger of an innocent woman being con- demned by false reasoning. But danger, in the cases of which we are now treating, may arise from the evidence and opinions given by physical people, who are called in to settle questions in science, which judges and jurymen are supposed not to know with accuracy. In general I am afraid too much has been left to our decision.(*) Many of our profes- sion are not 30 conversant with science as the world