Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A manual of medical jurisprudence / by Alfred Swaine Taylor. 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.
29/872 (page 15)
![trophy of the liver,’ when it would require no more trouble to put what he means in plain English, he must be prepared to have his meaning perverted or wholly misunderstood. Setting aside the men who act as jurors, it may be observed that educated persons, such as coroners and magistrates, do not commonly include professional terms within the range of their studies. There are but few of them who understand the difference between perineum and peritoneum, or the meaning of the words hemispheres of the brain, pia mater, puncta cruenta, corpora quadrigemina, centrum ovale, etc. They are not likely to know the difference between the cardia and pylorus, nor the nature or situation of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, or ca3cum, and are as ready to consider them to be parts of the liver or urinary bladder as of the intestines. On one occasion, a judge asked for an explana- tion of the meaning of the term ‘ alimentary canal; ’ on another he was entirely ignorant as to the meaning of ‘ verdigris.’ A slight con- sideration will show to any medical practitioner, that refined pro- fessional language is wholly misplaced in a report which is intended to inform and convince the minds of ordinary men upon plain matters of fact. The last point which calls for comment in reference to medical reports, is the loose manner in which facts, comments on facts, and hearsay statements are sometimes found blended. If a reporter takes care to separate facts from comment, his report is admissible, and may be read at the inquest or trial as evidence. The facts are for the jury—the comments upon the facts, introduced by the reporter, may or may not be correct, and are therefore not evidence. Their correct- ness or relevancy to the case will be elicited in the cross-examination. Asa rule, nothing should be entered in a report which is not connected with the subject of inquiry, nor except it has actually fallen under the observation of the reporter. The introduction of statements made by others, or of circumstances which have come to his knowledge through public rumour, should be carefully avoided. Upon the medical report, and such evidence as may be required to explain it, an accused person may be committed for trial at the Assizes, either by a coroner or magistrate. In the first stage of the proceedings, under these circumstances, the medical witness goes before the grand jury, and there, after the administration of an oath, he is required to make a general statement of what he knows of the matter. Such questions are put as may be necessary to elucidate the cause of death • and on the finding 0f a true bill, the accused is placed upon his trial beloie one of the judges of assize. According to the variable circum- rmndl?g SUCr C?ses’ the medical evidence is called for at an Sh /ha lStager° Proceedings- When it is at all doubtful for at the °f dea!h °Wmg t0 any criminal act> it is called Ltfer inquiry Cemen °f ^ CaS<3 in °rder to lay a foundation for of!-”/SaJ]hat af medical witness should remember that copies nsuallfnkcpd it ?ther ¥°re a coroner or magistrate, arc y 1 aced in the hands of counsel as well as of the judge, and that](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21932542_0029.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
