IS IT LEGAL?

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 September 1934, Page 2

IS IT LEGAL?

WIFE’S RIGHTS. The rights of a wife to have her face, lifted or to satisfy her vanity “by submitting to any other 'beauty process, or of a husband to undergo, say, a monkey-gland rejuvenation operation, has raised new medico-legal problems which have yet to be tested in the courts. It is widely thought that a surgeon and patient are entitled to agree upon any operation, and that if death results the consent of the patient relieves the surgeon of responsibility. But, according to Lord Riddell, president of the British Medico-Legal Society, that is erroneous. By law, validity of consent in such cases depends upon the nature of tho operation. “A man may be captain of his soul,” he says, ‘‘but he is not captain of his body. He may kill or injure himself by evil practices, but he may not maim himself or arrange with another person to maim him.” In an outline of this problematical field, Lord Riddell places operations under the headings of necessity, convenience. and variety or whim. The various types of beauty treatment are included in the last class and legal opinions differ on the, questions whether a surgeon is justified in removing a normal middle-aged double chin. If the patient dies of blood-poisoning, is the operator guilty of manslaughter?

The law would seem to be that suck operations are not illegal as they ate not “maiming” operations, but legality would, of necessity, be qualified by the question of consent. Thus it may well, be asked —Is a wife entitled to disfigure herself as sho thinks fit? If the beautifying operation turns out badly can the husband, sue wife and surgeon for damages? A husband who makes himself" responsible - for his wife’s appearance by giving her a dress allowance —what rights has he over her facial beauty? ■ There is the wife's side of the question, tod—what' are the rights of a wife whose husband submits to monkeygland treatment?. . .. These are some of the medico-legal intricacies that have arisen, from modern indulgence of male and .female vanity and to which the legal brains, of the New South Wales branch of thd British Medical Association have to.--cently given thought. , : ■