CURRENT TOPICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6136, 24 March 1898, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS.

T'- . ■ ; J The position we have unqualified always' '■ taken up ■' with . re*-, pbacti- gard to unqualified meditionj!Rß. cal practitioners found a strong endorsement in a Wellington ease the otherday. A man named Ryan cut his face severely ,by .falling upon soine., coal, , and., some •of the. dust .entered the wounds. . : A: local chemist and druggist to dress. . the^ injuries, : .and . this he did, cleaning ana- stitching the cuts. Wheji the wounds healed in the ordinary course of things, some slight discolouration remained, by reason of particles of coal dust which had not been removed. The chemist made the modest charge of half-a-guinea for his services, while it came out in evidence that a .qualified practitioner would have demanded three guineas for the same operation; but whether with that charge the stain upon the patient's face would have been removed is left in doubt. What a qualified practitioner would now remove it for is as variable a quantity as was the expert evidence. : One medico would remove it for three guineas, another would charge <£15. In summing up, the presiding Judge is reported to have said that it did not matter whether the defendant was a chemist or a veterinary surgeqn, or a blacksmith, or anything else. His responsibility was : the same as any ordinary practitioner, no greater and no less. Hay-, ing undertaken to treat the wound, he was bound to exhibit the same' skill and- the same care that an. ordinaiy practitioner was expected to exhibit. It was for. the jury to say whether the plaintiff: had satisfied them that the chemist did not exhibit that skill and that care. The jury took a common-sense view of the matter, and returned a verdict for the defendant. There is, perhaps, not much room for surprise at the large "unqualified" practice that is done in New Zealand, for it seems natural enough that a sufferer should be disinclined to consult a doctor' and be charged a guinea for a simple ailment that a " consulting chemist ".could remove for half-a-crown. The large number of minor a brave accidents occurring on North railway Island lines during the past guard. few months has drawn a considerable amount of uncomplimentary criticism on the managing staff, .particularly of the WellingtonNapier section. It is, therefore, very gratifying to. find that at least in one instance the officials have displayed exemplary coolness and courage.' "A heavilyladen goods train was running down an incline to the Mangamahoe Station in a drizzling rain, and in the distance a fast passenger train was approaching from the opposite direction. The driver of the goods train tried his best t» avert the threatening catastrophe, but the application of the brake had little effect, as the impetus already gained carried his train over the slippery rails. Noticing the danger, the men on the passenger train at once brought their charge to a standstill, but the goods train continued to thunder along the decline, and it appeared as if a disastrous collision was imminent. The officers stuck to their posts like men, with the exception of the goods gnard, who seems to have borne himself like a hero. Having screwed down the van brake till the wheels had ceased to revolve, he swung himself on to the nearest sheep van, and hanging on to the bars, and climbing along the scanty foothold which the ledges afforded, while the train was going at a terrific speed, and causing the vehicle to oscillate dreadfully, he jammed down the brake with might and main. This feat he repeated with the next truck, and a diminution of the pace was at once noticeable. Many of the passengers jumped for their lives, but drivers and guards alike hung on to brakes and levers, and the goods train was brought up a few feet from the passenger train. The action of all concerned is worthy of the highest commendation, and Mr Quin, the guard, should certainly receive some public recognition of his great presence of mind and splendid courage.