Medical ethics : a discourse delivered in the theatre of the Meath Hospital, November 1, 1869 / by William Stokes.

  • Stokes, William, 1804-1878.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical ethics : a discourse delivered in the theatre of the Meath Hospital, November 1, 1869 / by William Stokes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    may tell. He is there not as an advocate, but in order to inform the court or jury according to his best judg- ment. In fact, I think the Judge ought to call in scientific evidence (as in lunacy the Lord Chancellor and Lords Justices do) of his own selection, and I doubt whether any evidence of opinion on oath should ever be given. The jury would then see that it is opinion only; the witness would Avith more decorum defend his opinion, and would acquire the habit of believing himself to be, not a partisan, but an expert, rendering his assistance the greater. Sir William Bovill observes (see Eeport, page xii.):— With reference to the sixth printed question, I may mention that the great misfortune and defect in Medical testimony hitherto has been that Medical men, like many other professional witnesses, have been too much in the habit of making themselves partisans in endea- vouring to support the particular views of the parties on whose behalf they have been called; and this has led to conflicts of opinion, which sometimes have appeared not very creditable to the Profession. The remedy rests with the individual members of the Profession. To the same effect Dr. Alfred Taylor remarks:— Medical men would rebel against the proposition that they should be excluded from giving evidence at inquests or assizes until they had qualified themselves to pass such an examination as is here sketched out. And yet what can be more absurd than our present practice of selecting the medical man who happens to live nearest to the body of a person found dead, under suspicious