A vindication of character, and an examination of the accusations contained in Dr. T. Reyburn's supplement to the "St. Louis Medical and Surgical Journal" / by F. Knox.

  • Knox, F. (Franklin)
Date:
[1846]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A vindication of character, and an examination of the accusations contained in Dr. T. Reyburn's supplement to the "St. Louis Medical and Surgical Journal" / by F. Knox. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    That all the allegations of Dr. Adreon, endorsed and promulgated by Dr. Reyburn, were utterly disproved by Dr. White, no disinterested person, with a capacity above that of a lobster, will for a moment doubt. Dr. Reyburn had then his option : finding he had been deceived — made a cat's paw—been induced to give currency to falsehoods —he had to choose between acknowledging his error and apologizing for it, like a man of honor and truth; or of re-affirming and persisting in it. I specially left him that option, in my note, which carefully abstained* while it denounced the falsehood as it deserved, from charging it on Dr. Reyburn. I said it was in an article read by him. But that article was all founded on the authority of Dr. Adreon, and much of it in his own words. The whole article left Dr. R. at liberty to acknowledge his error and atone for it. He made his election ; and that was to stand by and re-affirm all that he had before said, and which had been fully and unanswerably shown to be false, by about thirty witnesses. And by what system is he to proceed ? By none of those, gentle reader, laid down by the schools, in which he boasts so much profi- ciency. Oh, no ; that would be too tame a process for so exalted a ge- nius as his. He hits upon a plan that would never have occurred to a ]ess — or more—mighty mind than his own. He leaves out, in his answer, the main individual charged in the indictment, and introduces him as a witness. Shades of Blackstone, Hale, Story and all other small fry! stand back abashed at your own insignificance ! Here is a new principle developed in the law of evidence, that never entered your poor heads! No! It was reserved for the high-born, highly-associated, highly-educated and highly-talented (in his own opinion —and who else should know sowell) T. Reyburn, M.D., to discover this new and im- portant principle in the law of evidence — that the original author of a slander is the most suitable witness to prove its truth! Were Dr. Adreon a competent witness, I would cheerfully allow his testimony to go before my judges, and leave all who know him to decide between him; on one side, and all others who know any thing about the matter, on the other. But Dr. Adreon is not competent as a witness in this case:—1st. Because he is the individual mainly inte- rested on one side — he is the main author of the original attack. Dr. Reyburn and others merely repeat what he has told them. Hut, 2nd and more especially, because, from the very nature of the case, he can have no personal knowledge of the matter. What does he charge ? That I visited his patient, endeavored to cause her to discharge him and employ me, used abusive language respecting him, told the patient and