SKIN FROM PATIENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 7 February 1928, Page 7

SKIN FROM PATIENT.

CLAIM AGAINST DOCTORS. Whether consent had been given ior William Howard Unwin, senior surgeon at the Timuru hospital, to remove for grafting purposes a shaving of skin irom a boy’s knee, was argued in the Supreme Court at Christchurch the other day before Mr. Justice Adams. The South Canterbury Hospital Board, Dr. Thomas I>. Parr medical superintendent of the hospital, and Dr. William H. Unwin, as defendants in a claim for. £IOO damages brought against them by Bernard Conlin, lather ot a boy named Bernard Conlin, applied for a new trial on the grounds that judgment given against them by a jury was against the weight of evidence.

Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell (Wellington) appeared in support of the application, and Mr. F. I>. Sargent, represented the plaintiff, Conlin. The boy Conlin was in the Timaru Hospital on January 15, 1927, and defendants admitted that Dr. Unwin took from the leit thigh of plaintiff a shaving of skin for gra-lt-in<r to the leg of another patient. l)r. Parr, medical superintendent, admitted that- the consent of plaintiff was not obtained. Dr. Unwin submitted that it was no part of his duty to obtain consent from patients, and both defendants denied that such cosent of plaintiff was necessarv.

Dr. Parr stated that the plaitiff's son fully understood the nature of the grafting before such was done. “ Mr. Treadwell said that the jury had not discriminated, but had said that they could not agree as to whether plaintiff gave his consent or otherwise. Mr. Treadwell moved for judgment for Dr. Unwin and for leave to move for judgment for Dr. Parr within fourteen days, and for a nonsuit for Dr. Parr. Alternatively he- asked for a new trial. After hearing legal argument his Honor reserved his decision.