MEDICAL CAREERS RUINED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 37, 13 February 1937, Page 4 (Supplement)

MEDICAL CAREERS RUINED.

PATHETIC STORIES TO MEDICAL COUNCIL,

SEQUEL TO WIDOWS BREACH OF PROMISE SUIT—DOCTOR WITH "UNCONTROLLABLE PASSION "—JILTED WOMAN'S INTENSE DISLIKE—LADY PRACTITIONER DEREGISTERED.

UT AM here to (ell these medical i gentlemen that a man with uncontrollable passion lias no right to enter the homes of women." This statement was made to the Ueneral Medical Council by a widow when giving evidence against a doctor whom she had sued for breach of promise. As a result of the woman's charges the duclor, a grey-haired man of 65, has been struck off the register. When ho heard the verdict tnat ended his professional career, Dr. James Ebenezer Boon, of Bath Koad, Bedford Park, W., was so overcome that he had to be helped from the room. The charge on which Dr. Boon appeared was that he committed misconduct with Mrs. Lucy Matilda Jones, a widow, of London Road, Morden, Surrey, on numerous occasions between February, 1924, and September, 1933; and that he- stood in professional relationship vith Mrs. Jones from 1908 until 1933, and with her husband, Mr. Cecil Baskeville Jones, from 1908 until his death in 1021. Mrs. Jones was the complainant. Dr. Boon agreed that he had an association with. Mrs. Jones between February, 1924, and June, 1931. He denied that, at any time h« stood in professional relationship with her. Mr. Laurence Vhe, opening the case for Mrs. Jones, said it appeared that the only issue to be tried was whether there was a relationship of doctor and patient between Dr. Boon and Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones had lived with her husband from 190S until his death at an address in East Duhvich. The parties met chiefly on account of the fact that both Mr. and Mrs. Jones were members of a local church, in which Dr. Boon was taking a keen and active interest.

In 1933, while his association was continuing. Dr. Boon sent Mrs. Jones to the South London Hospital for Women at Clsiplmm. Dr. Boon stated that he sent her there more as a friend than as a patient.

Mr. Pollock: So far as you are aware did you ever come across any record of any attendance given by Dr. Boon to Mrs. Jones? —Xo.

Can you tell us what is the reputation of Dr. Boon among those who have been his patients and are now yours!Yery excellent indeed. I am continually hearing his praises sounded.

The council took five minutes to consider its decision. Then the president, Sir Xorman Walker, told Dr. Boon that the facts alleged against him in tin charge had been proved to the satisfac-

£300 Breach Damages. "Theso people had this long association., and it culminated in a breach of promise action at Kingston Assizes recently," added Mr. Vine. "The. doctor was sued for breach of promise, to marry Mrs. Jonee, and the jury awarded her £300 damages, and costs. She says that for all these years she was his mistress, and she was his patient." Mrs. Jones, giving evidence, said that she. first met Dr. Boon when he called to attend her husband. Dr. Boon had what ho called a "private panel," or medical aid club. She joined this in 1915 or 1916. Sho paid a subscription of 1/ a month, and was given a card. > She belonged to this association for 15 to 20 years. She had medical treatment from Dr. Boon many times during those years. During the period that she was a member no other doctor gave her any treatment. In Juno. 1933, Dr. Boon sent her to the South London Hospital for Women. She was examined there. "I put it to you," said Mr. George Pollock for Dr. Boon, "that you never had any medical treatment of any kind, except that once Dr. Boon said he thought you were looking anaemic, and gave you some preparation, and that, on another occasion he advised you to go to the hospital and wrote a note to the proper person?" Mrs. Jones: It is not true. Mr. Pollock: Is it still your feeling, as you said at Kingston Avenue, that you wish you had bought a revolver and shot him?— No. That is what I ought to have done to stop him coming to my room. I suggest you are saying these things because you dislike Dr. Boon very intensely at this moment?— Nothing of the kind. I am here to tell these medical gentlemen that a man with uncontrollable passion has no right to enter the homes of women. It is a public dutv.

ticm of the council, which had adjudged him "guilty of infamous conduct in » professional respect.' . Two Doctors Struck Off Rolls. With two wardresses as escort, Mrs. Laura Winifred Sanders Bliss va brought from Aylesbury prison, whew she is serving a sentence of three years' penal servitude, to appear before the General Medical Council. The charge against her was that she> was convicted in the Old Bailey in June for conspiring with others to use instruments or other means unknown to perform illegal operations on women. After the council had considered its decision in camera, Sir Norman Walker, the president, announced that MrsBliss , name would be erased from tha register. It is only the second case in the last 11 years in which a woman doctor las been struck off the register. The case of Dr. Dominic Francis Curran, 49, of Muswell Hill Koad, London, ;>>"., was considered by the council in camera. He was charged with improper conduct with a woman patient on three occasions. Reports were read of proceedings at the Old Bailey, when Dr. Curran ws accused of offences against a 22-year-old domestic servant, and was acquitted. Dr. Curran's case was that after the girl's first two visits he did not regard her as a patient. The council spent nearly two houra listening to the evidence and deliberating on its verdict. Then the chamber was thrown open, and Sir Norman Walker announced that Dr. Curran l» a been found "guilty of infamous conduct in a professional' respect," and ordered his name to be erased from the register.

And in pursuance of your public duty four days after his marriage you served him'with a writ for breach of promise? -Yes. "1 was expecting Dr. Boon to marry me," declared Mrs. Jones later. Mr. Pollock: Did you demand £10.000? —In the first instance what I told my solicitors was that, if I said what I wanted, it would be £50,000. Money could never repay for the suffering and sorrow he has caused me. Leading Member of Church. "Was Dr. Boon regarded as one of the leading members of the church?" asked Mr. Vine. "He was the man of the church," replied Mrs. Jones. Dr. Boon, giving evidence, stated that in 1914 he lost his son. "Shortly after that I threw myself into church and social work," he 'continued. "I met Mrs. Jones in the church. Her husband was my patient.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones and I became terms of very close friendship, lasted for a number of years."

In 1921 Mr. Jones died, and Dr. Boon said he assisted Mrs. Jones with so business affairs. At that time he\r a ! medical officer of an institute, if tg Jones' house was between his sureerv and the institute, and as he went to and fro he used to call to see Mrs. Jones He never regarded her in any way as his patient. From February, '1924 she became his mistress, and so rem'W until June, 1931. m Mr. Pollock: During this period, during which time you were going tj ter house, did you ever treat her as°a nwdi. cal man?—Xever. Mr. Vine: You: had SO membra „'( this club?—Yos. oi Did you not regard every one of those SO members as patients of yomsj —Potential patients. They had liberty to come to me. Mr. Vine: At Kingston Assizes dij you swear on oath that you never pro. mised to marry this woman!— Yes. The jury awarded her £300?— Yes, Have you appealed against it?—\o, "Done the Honourable Thing," Mr. Pollock: Have you done ilie honourable thing and paid the £300. and the costs?— Yes. Dr. George Fisher, who said that lie had purchased Dr. Boon"s practice in 1931, gave evidence that he was there with Dr. Boon for 16 months. Dr. Boon introduced him to the patients. He did not introduce him to Mrs. Jones.