LADY DOCTOR AND PATIENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 173, 28 July 1904, Page 4

LADY DOCTOR AND PATIENT.

A CURIOUS AWARD.

(From Correspondent Auckland Herald.)

London, June 10.

Last week I referred to the latest case which had come under the public notice of doctors and nurses casually dropping into patients' insides daring lengthened operations, various surgical instruments or appliances—suoh as forceps and sponges—or articles of personal adornment, such as rings. In this instance the operator was a lady surgeon, who was performing gratuitously. In spite of the fact that the patient got" free, gratis, for nothing," the second operation rendered necessary by a big sponge being mistaken for one of her inside works and therefore left among them when she was sewn up, the patient very ungratefully sued the lady-doctor for damages. A perfect crowd of expert witnesses, doctors and nurses, testified on oath that no negligence whatever was involved or implied in leaving sundry surgical articles ,or other "unconsidered trifles" inside the live body of a patient. The jury could not be induced to take this view. They brought in a verdict against the lady doctor on every point submitted ; but — they assessed the damage at one farthing! The damage, be it understood, consisted in the patient suffering severe and protracted pain through her inside being turned into a surgical museum, and having in consequence to undergo a second critical operation. That was appraised at one farthing sterling!

But when shown that this small award was glaringly inconsistent with their verdict of gross negligence, the jury explained that as the operator made no charge for the operation, they thought it would not be fair to mulct her in heavy damages. They did not go so far as to suggest petty larcenous intentions on the part of the patient, even though she had been proved to be in unlawful possession of the doctor's sponge. But they did not think that the attractive looking lady doctor should be made to pay damages and costs. The judge, however, thought otherwise, and did not see bis way to accept toe verdict as It stood. So then

the jury agreed to award £25. Personally I should not care to go through the same experience even for that sum. My terms would be much higher!