Address delivered before the Medical Society of the State of California at its annual session, April, 1873 / by G.A. Shurtleff.

  • Shurtleff, G. A., -1902.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Address delivered before the Medical Society of the State of California at its annual session, April, 1873 / by G.A. Shurtleff. 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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    Gentlemen: The change in the time of holding our meetings brings this annual session within just a half year of the last. During this brief period so little of new or uncommon interest has transpired that I deem it unprofitable to attempt an excur- sive view of general topics connected with our profession. I propose, therefore, to confine my remarks mainly to those sub- jects which appertain more particularly to that branch of med- ical science in which I am specially engaged. The division of Forensic Medicine termed the Medical Jurispru- dence of Insanity seems at this time to urgently claim our special consideration. The frequency with which the plea of insanity has of late been resorted to, with undeserved success, to avoid responsi- bility for crime—the irregular, unscientific, and generally un- fair manner in which such trials are conducted with regard to medical testimony—the danger of a more unenlightened, mis- guided, reactionary movement, to the peril of the really insane— the ends of justice and the welfare of society, all seem to call for reform in the law relating to the trial of criminal cases in which the mental condition of the accused is involved. We need not stop to consider the disparaging comments, which, in a few rare instances, have been uttered, even from