Report of L. J. Russell, M. D., Chairman, Heidenheimer, Texas.

The medicinal properties and uses of the greater part of the foregoing list of plants may be found by reference to the United States Dispensatory, mostly in the secondary list.

SECTION ON MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE, CHEMISTRY AND PSYCHOLOGY.

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN.

By R. P. TALLEY, M. D., BELTON, TEXAS.

We all recognize that a branch of law of great interest to physicians and surgeons, is that arising from the employment of the profession by servants of corporations, in times of accidents, without the knowledge or authority of the higher officers. It cannot be said that there is any invariable rule on the subject, either fixing the liability for compensation or exempting the company from it. Some of the States hold that the act of the employee binds the corporation in cases of emergency, and some deny that such is the rule. The Supreme Court of Indiana has recently decided a case in point, where it was held that, in time of urgent necessity, when the life of a human being was in question, the act of an employee in calling the service of a physician would render the company liable for the physi

cian's remuneration.

In connection with the railroad laws, I learn that the Michigan Supreme Court has recently decided that it is contrary to sound public policy for a physician to agree

Report of R. P. Talley, M. D., Chairman, Dallas, Texas.

with a patient, injured in a railway accident, to accompany him to the officers of the company, explain the injury and its probable effects, and receive for compensation a sum greater, according to the amount paid. by the railroad company. The ground of the decision was that the physician was accepted by the railroad company as an impartial man, and they were to abide. by his decision, and, this being the case, a secret agreement which would give to the physician a higher compensation, if he secured a larger sum from the company, was so likely to render him biased that the agreement could not be held valid.

The question of the "Medico-Legal bearing of Pelvic Injuries in Women" was discussed before the last meeting of the New York State Medical Association by Dr. Ely Van de Wanler, of Syracuse, wherein he said that actions at law to recover damages for injuries sustained to the pelvic organs in females were becoming quite frequent, and involved large sums of money. They are usually brought against corporations, particularly cities, villages and railroad companies. He cited three illustrative cases, by which it appeared that the facts of the case, could they be obtained by a thorough medical examination, were in favor of the defendant, but the verdict was likely to be in favor of the complainant. Some of the women attributed, conscientiously, but erroneous. ly, their symptoms to the injury sustained, but most of the cases were of a fraudulent nature. In all, perhaps, there would be found a history of previous pelvic inflam

APPENDIX-Section on Medical Jurisprudence, Etc.

mation or affection, which would fully account for the symptoms present. The impossibility of a fall of some nature, which was the usual accident in these cases, producing such concussion of the healthy uterus and pelvic organs as to cause permanent displacement of the womb, or swelling or pelvic inflammation and abscesses, was evident to the physician, but not to the simple juryman, whose sympathies were appealed to by a suffering woman standing before him, while the other party to the action was a heartless corporation with a supposed unlimited supply of money.

He found

As tending to show how long a person may live in a state of syncope, the following case, which Dr. Edwards Berdoe reports in the London Lancet, possesses considerable medico-legal interest. He was called, on April 29, to see a man aged seventy-four. him lying on the floor, insensible and dying. His wife sat near him, and on being questioned, admitted that he had been lying in the same position for six days, without food, drink or any attention whatever. On raising him to place him on the bed, part of the flesh of his face adhered to the floor, and was torn off. The exact form of the patient was marked on the floor by the indentations from the skin. He was in a filthy state, and, though unable to swallow even liquids, lived about fourteen hours after the first visit. By the coroner's order, a post-mortem was made. The body was fearfully emaciated, and all the parts that had been in contact with the floor were gangrenous. The organs pre