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

  • Lizars, John, 1787?-1860.
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 Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    JOHN LIZAES, Esq., Surgeon, AGAINST JAMES SYME, Esq., Surgeon Monday, 26th July, 1852. * (Before the Lord Justice-General and a Jury.) The Jury having been enipannellecl, Mr. Macfarlane opened for the pursuer in the following address :— Gentlemen of the Jury — I have the honour to address you in this case in behalf of the pursuer, who, as may be known to you, has for many years practised as a surgeon in this city. He has been under the necessity of bringing the present action, in vin- dication of his character, against the defender, Mr. Syme; and I think you will be satisfied, when you have learned the nature of the case, that he had no alternative. A most unjustifiable libel was published by the defender against his professional character and position, which it was impossible for the pursuer, or any honourable man, to remain under, if he had any respect for him- self, or wished to be respected by others. The circumstances are exceedingly simple, and can be laid before you without detaining you many minutes. There appeared in the number of the London Medical Gazette of last year, for the 4th of July—a periodical which is published weekly—an article under the head of ‘ Correspondence/ and bear- ing to be a letter addressed to the conductor of that periodical, by the defender, in these terms : — ‘ Edinburgh, June 26, 1851. — ‘ Sir—I have only to-day happened to see your journal of May ‘ 16th, which contains some statements that certainly should not ‘ l)ave remained so long unnoticed, if they had been known to ‘ me sooner/ &e., &c. 'if. V