John Lizars, Esq, surgeon, against James Syme, Esq., surgeon, Monday, 26th July 1852 : (before the Lord Justice-General and a Jury).

Date:
[1852]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: John Lizars, Esq, surgeon, against James Syme, Esq., surgeon, Monday, 26th July 1852 : (before the Lord Justice-General and a Jury). 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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    Do you recollect an article in the August number of last year, relating to Mr. Lizars ? Perfectly. Is that the article ? Yes. Had you seen that article soon after publication ? I cannot say how soon, but it was a good deal a matter of conversation in the profession. You see the passage within brackets ' regarding him as long placed * beyond the pale of professional respect and courtesy, &c., &c.'] Wliat impression did that convey to your mind ? I considered it as very strong language indeed. If you saw that published of a medical man with whom you were not acquainted, what would you understand by it 1 It would depend very much on my knowledge of the party who wrote it. If the person who wrote it was a man of high mark, it would go far to extinguish any respect that I might have hitherto enter- tained for the person against whom it was written, if I had no other means of knowing about him. I mean the professional abili- ties of the party so spoken of. Do you consider Mr, Syme in high position and repute ? As- suredly I do. If the Court will allow me to explain, I beg to say, that I have a high respect for both parties. If you believe this statement, applying to a professional man, that he was ' beyond the pale of professional respect and courtesy,' would you consult with such a man ? I assuredly would not.. I could have no confidence in him, and would not send any patients to him. Do you consider that a passage of that kind would have an injurious tendency ? I would consider that such a statement ap- plied to me, would destroy me as a medical man. Do you haijpen to know whether this periodical is read a good deal in the profession 1 Oh, yes. Look on the title page of that number, and read the names of the gentlemen said to be the conductors of that journal ? ' Conducted ' by Professor Christison, Professor Syme, Professor Simpson, Dr. ' Bennet, Dr, Maclagan, and Dr, Eobertson.' All of whom are men of standing ? Yes. Examined by the Solicitor-General — You say, that you considered the passage so often quoted, within brackets, reflected against the talents of Mr. Lizars ? I think so, both morally and professionally.