CHIROPRACTOR’S PATIENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18529, 16 October 1934, Page 11

CHIROPRACTOR’S PATIENT

alleged negligence JUDGMENT FOR PLAINTIFF j $?. / " The display of a spinal column in the Magistrate’s Court assisted counsel, medical men, a witness and the magistrate to follow arguments in the chiropractic case heard by Mr. E. L. Walton, SAL, throughout yesterday and to-day. The case was one in "which Norah Annie Saliswy, widow, Gisborne, claimed £4B from Clarence Leslie TtftnerJ chiropractor, Gisborne, for alleged negligent treatment. Mr. L. T. Burnard appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. F. W. Nolan for the defendant. i / The defendant, continuing his evidence after lunch, explained to Mr. Burnard the meaning oi sub-luxation used by chiropractors to refer to something that was not as great as a luxation. Mr. Burnard: Is sub-luxation in Webster? Witness: I do not know. Mr. Burnard: You may take my word for it; it is not. Is it not a coined word tb express something which does not exist?—Sub-luxation (sub meaning tinder) is less than a complete dislocation, but which comes apart from the iittfmal articulate surface. ■‘What is toe effect of a dislocation ? It might be sufficient to cause a patient’s death, and it might not, but I would have nothing to do with such a case. In rfcply to further questions, the defendant said he would not dispute Dr. Brown’s diagnosis of the plaintiff’s case and the cause for her complaint. He did jjpt ask the plaintiff if she were at a pdtijCT commbn to a woman of her age, bnpftsked of all symptoms. Mr, Burnard asked the defendant if he would display his methods in court, and, the defendant said that it would not.be. fair to impart his knowledge to medical witnesses. Mr. Burnard: Are you afraid that they will use chiropractic methods after they have condemned them ’--That has been done. His Worship: Is the method not described in any text book?—Yes, but not in any medical book. Eventually the defendant said that an adjusttiient yas given by placing the hand over a vertebrae and giving a snap with a quick movement, and another form of adjustment comprised a leverage. Mr. Burnard: Can you not give a demonstration of it>?-»-I do not feel justified in disclosing it. Mr. Burnard: Then I will ask the medical witnesses to retire. The doctors in the court then left, and the defendant demonstrated his method on the arm-rest of a chair. Hater* Mr. Burnard asked at what point chiropractic methods ceased to be . of benefit to a patient? The defendant replied that there was no particular point, but he used his ■ discretion when advising patients to see a doctor. It depended largely on the progress of the disease and the symptoms. Some of the troubles he would

not treat were blood poisoning, some types of paralysis which had not progressed too far, locomotor ataxy, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pleurisy (except if only slight), worms, floating kidney, peritonitis, and appendicitis in some cas«s, and piles. Some chiropractors, however, might accept some of those he, had mentioned. Jo . Mr. Nolan, witness said that on n<s, Wpision did he give any time limit for tpe treatment of the plaintiff, or give her or anyone a guarantee that she would 1 be cured by a certain date. Joseph Thomas Hamilton, farmer, Ngatapa, said that he bad been a patient of Turner’s. On many occasions spice he returned from the war in 191& he’ had been laid up in hospital or at home from a form of rheumatism. He was virtually helpless. Witness later went to see the defendant, and after 2J months’ treatment, he was restored to health. He had never had a day in bed since. Also, some of his. children had been kid up, and he rang Turner, ex- ’ plaining the symptoms, and defendant had refused to undertake the cases. In witness’ case, tho defendant had not guaranteed a ebre. . David Stewart Thompson, seedsman and nurseryman, said that he, too, had been a patient of the defendant. He had had a bad back for some time, and a doctor, after an examination, had told witness that he could do nothing except massaging, which would give relief, but \ this gave him no relief. After treat- * menfc by the defendant, he had never had trouble since, and that wa3 four years ago. Continuing, the witness said that a nephew who was developing a hump on his back was taken to the defendant, who said that he thought he could help by lengthy treatment. After about 18 months the spinal trouble had been arrested, the spine straightened, and the hump disappeared. Another relative who was not progressing in ’hospital had recovered after the defendant’s treatment. After hearing further evidence, the magistrate gave judgment for the full amount claimed. »< ■ 7‘4 •