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.

    30/56 (page 30)
    Do you consider tliat the words in that ])aragrap]i were intended to represent the pursuer as a person of disreputable character in his profession ? I do not think that they were meant to imply, that tlie pursuer was placed in such a situation in regard to the pro- fession at large, but only implied that he was so placed as regards Mr. Syme individually. Mr. Syme and Mr. Lizars are both weU known in the profes- sion ? Yes. And their mutual position towards each other is weU known in the profession also ? Yes. Was this discovery of Mr. Syme's considered to be important ? I believe it was generally so amongst surgeons, but I do not give any opinion, not being a surgeon. In the sense in which you read this attack on Mr. Lizars by Mr. Syme, did the paragraph take you by surprise ? No ; knowing as I do the position in which the parties have stood to each other^for the last fifteen or twenty years, and down to the present con- troversy. You know that the disease of Stricture is a dreadful disease ? Yes, in that form particularly which Mr. Syme's operation was intended to cure. It is the most desperate form of the disease ? Yes, it is. You think it must have been a great object with Mr. Syme to have his success vindicated with the public ? Undoubtedly. And to satisfy the public of the utility of the operation ? Yes. You looked into Mr. Syme's book and Mr. Lizars' book at the time they were published ? Yes. Examined by Mr. Deas — Would you be wiUing to meet a man in professional consultation, who was beyond the pale of profes- sional respect and courtesy ? No ; I would not hesitate in meeting with any medical gentleman in consultation, merely because he had placed himself in that position towards one individual. My question is this, if you regarded a man as having placed himself beyond the ' pale of professional respect and courtesy,' would you meet him in consultation ? No, if he had placed him- self in that state. Do you extend your answer towards a person wlio has placed himself in that position in regard to the profession at large — observe wo arc not talking of Mr. Lizars in particular. I under-