Illustrations of medical evidence and trial by jury in Scotland.

Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Illustrations of medical evidence and trial by jury in Scotland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ority of attendance by regularly qualified practitioners, is hurtful to the feelings and injurious to the character of the medical profession. 3. That the Lord-Advocate he respectfully requested to investi¬ gate the system pursued in selecting medical evidence by the Pro¬ curator-Fiscal of Mid-Lothian, more especially in the cases of John Collison, tried for the murder of his wife, and John M‘Callum with William Corner, tried for the murder of Patrick O’Donaghue. The resolutions having been seconded by Dr Andrew Wood, were unanimously approved of, and the President was requested to forward the same to the Lord-Advocate. In reply to this communication, the Lord-Advocate promised to institute an investigation; but, so far as is known to the public, his Lordship has not yet done so. MR SYME TO THE LORD-ADVOCATE OF SCOTLAND. Edinburgh, April 5, 1853. My Lord,—With reference to the subject which, as one of a Deputation from the Royal College of Surgeons I lately had the honour of submitting to your Lordship, I beg to state that, a few’ days ago, Mr George Glover gave a certificate, on soul and con¬ science, relative to the condition of a patient at present under my charge in the Royal Infirmary. As this patient had suffered a com¬ pound fracture of the leg, and as Air Glover had no opportunity of inspecting the limb, it is plain that this certificate did not rest upon his personal knowdedge. In these circumstances, I leave your Lordship to determine whether or no the Procurator-Fiscal was guided solely by a desire to attain the ends of justice in preferring so questionable a docu¬ ment to the authentic information which he might have procured from myself, or my clerk, Dr Dobie, who is resident in the Hos¬ pital.—I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship’s most obedient servant, James Syme. The Right Honourable Lord Advocate of Scotland.