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.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    my touching the bed-clothes, the boy’s countenance sliowed symp- toms of fear. I immediately said to him, “ Don’t be afraid, my little fellow, I don’t require to interfere with or touch your limb,” or “ I don’t intend to touch your limb.” The expression was either the one or the other, and immediately to re-assure him 1 put up the bed-clothes. The boy was in a very weak state, and I was unwill- ing to do anything that would create alarm upon his mind, or that would retard his recoveiy. Having made this examination, I was leaving the ward, when I met Dr Dobie and the nurse. I returned to the bedside with Dr Dobie for the purpose of ascertaining if he concuiTed in the opinion that the boy’s life was in danger, and that it was safe for the sheriff to take his declaration—safe for the boy. I put this question to Dr Dobie—if he considered the boy’s hfe in danger, and if he thought it was safe for the boy that the sheriff should come then to examine him ? He agi’eed with me in both opinions. I then asked him if there was any intention of amputat- ing the limb, and I understood from him that the subject was under consideration—that there were thoughts of amputation. I asked him if the limb was fractured, and if it was a compound fractui’e, and in putting a question regarding the position of the injury, I gently raised the bed-clothes and dropped them. Dr Dobie in- formed me that it was a compound fracture. He mentioned the situation of the fracture, and the injury of the soft parts involved in the nature of a compound fr’acture. Dr Dobie was quite fr’auk and communicative, and obliging and civil. I cannot recall any- thing more that passed. I then left the Infirmary, and drew up my report, which I sent to the Procurator-Fiscal. This is the certifi- cate, written by myself:— Edinburgli, 21st March 1853. I hereby certify, on soul and conscience, that I this day examined Patrick Clark, aged about eleven years, lying at the Koyal Infir- mary, and find he has a large lacerated wound of the soft; parts, on outside of his left leg, and a fracture of the bone a little above the ankle; that his life is in danger, and that he is in a fit state to emit a declaration. (Signed) Geo. Glover, Surgeon. From what I have told you of my visit to the Infinnar}’-, and my seeing the boy, I considered I was quite in a condition of informa-