CURE CLAIMS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 150, 27 June 1935, Page 25

CURE CLAIMS

A DOCTOR'S ACTIONS

JUDGMENT DEFERRED

The General Medical Council in London recently suspended judgment until 1937 on Dr. William Mervyn Crofton, medical practitioner, of Park Square, says the "Daily Telegraph." The charge against Dr. Crofton, which the council found proved, was: That, being a registered medical practitioner, at a meeting of ophthalmic opticians in London on November 15, 1934, at which members of fhe Press were present, he made a speech in which he made claims of an extravagant nature as to the benefits likely to result if the method of therapeutic immunisation practised by him at an establishment known as the Antigen Laboratory were generally practised; And that,he thereby advertised for the purpose of obtaining patients for promoting his own professional advantage or, in the alternative, he sanctioned or acquiesced in the publication of notices commending or directing attention to his professional skill. The complainants were the Medical Defence Union, who were represented by Mr. Oswald Hampson. Mr. Roland Oliver, K.C., appeared for Dr. Crofton. . Mr. Hampson said that the attention of the Medical Defence Union was drawn to an account of a meeting which appeared in a newspaper, and which quoted extracts from a speech of Dr. Crofton. The headlines read: "Doctor claims that he can cure blindness, colds, tuberculosis, and cancer, and reduce deaths in childbirth 90 per cent. Inoculation method." * / When the matter was brought to the attention of the doctor by the Registrar of the council, the doctor replied that he absolutely denied the accusation that he made the speech for his own advertisement. He had protested to the representative of the paper without success. • Mr. Roland Oliver said Dr. Crofton had a distinguished career. He graduated at Dublin University, and in 1904 became Assistant Professor of Biology at University College, where he came into touch with the work of Sir Almroth Wright. He had*made that work his speciality. ' 1000 PATIENTS IN MONTH. He came to practice in London, and last October received visits from over 1000 patients. ■ ■ Mr. Tranter, of the Ophthalmic Opticians, had asked him to make a speech at their annual dinner, and before he delivered it he gave a copy of it to a representative of the newspaper who was there. It was no offence to speak on a subject in which he was interested, and still less to give a copy to a reporter,so that he might be accurately reported. The whole of the. headlines and the introductory matter in the article was editorial. >' Dr. Crofton, cross-examined, said he thought the tone of the report was inaccurate, and he deplored it as sensational. Mr. Hampson: Did you claim you gave sight to the blind?—l did, and I do. Did you claim you can reduce maternal mortality by 90 per cent.? — I did, and I do.' End the scourge of tuberculosis?— I did, and I can. , Did you claim to cure sleepy sickness?r~l can. . .. - Common colds and a host of other illnesses?— Perfectly true, provided they are microbic. I claim it for the method; the method, the method all the time. ■ . Throughout the speech you directed attention to yourself as one who practises this method?—lf I did, it was •most certainly and sincerely unintentional. I had no necessity to advertise myself. * ' ~ ■ Dr. Crofton added that it was his ambition to see this method taken up generally by the profession. After considering their decision in private, the president (Sir Norman Walker) said at the end of a year the council would expect to receive from him some professional brethren reports as to his professional conduct, especially with reference to advertising. ■■"•••

The snake's apparent flashing speed is said to be an optical illusion. Its reputation for speed is based on the deceptive grace of its smooth, fluent, undulatory gliding.

;«*.#