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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    111 what respect ? The expression ' regarding him as long ' placed beyond the pale of professional respect and courtesy.' And again, that his statements ' have been declared by me to have ' been all utterly devoid of truth:' these statements must have been offensive to Mr. Lizars. Looking to these words ' regarding him as long placed beyond ' the pale of professional respect and courtesy' — What meaning did they convey to your mind ? That he must have been in bad repute amongst his medical brethren in Edinburgh, if these words were true. Did they lead you to think that his character in the profession was reputable or disreputable ? Disreputable. Did they lead you to think that he was respected in the profes- sion, or the reverse ? The reverse. Did they lead you to think that he was entitled to respect, or the reverse ? The reverse. What impression did you form as to the effect of these words, on medical men in regard to leading them to consult, or not consult, ]VIr. Lizars ? That, if they were true, medical men would not consult vidth him. Did they lead you to think that medical men would or would not advise patients to employ Mr. Lizars ? That they would advise patients not to consult him, and not to employ him in his profession. Am I right in thinking, that when you read that letter, you considered these expressions to be very injurious to Mr. Lizars ? Very much so indeed. Did you think they ought to have been published, or not pub- lished in the Medical Gazette ? They ought not to have been published. Do you retain your opinion as to the injurious nature of these words ? Yes, I do. Is the London Medical Gazette in extensive circulation 1 It was ; but it does not exist now. Was it extensively read by medical men throughout the whole of Great Britain and Ireland ? I believe so ; and that it had an extensive circulation among medical men, both in this country and abroad. Cross-examined by the Solicitor-General — When you re- ceived that letter, part of which you published in the Medical