The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-11 00:00:00

MGR WATTA AT LONDONBIUDGIL

TIM DAt —Morning, lb. —Afternoon, lb. 44m.
to-Moszow—Morning. Vs. 80.......111tArc00n. Us. Um.

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11.

THE extreme facility with which " scientific
" evidence " of a certain class can be obtained
when it is wanted by litigants was strikingly
illustrated in the case of JOHNSON v. the Midland
Counties Railway, which has just been tried at
Westminster. The plaintiff alleged that he had
suffered se% erely by the collision which occurred,
two years last August, at Colney Hatch, and
accordingly conceived himself entitled to claim
compensation from the railway company. In
order to establish his case he obtained the following
certificate from the surgeon attending him :

This is to certify that I am attending Mr. Johnson,
undertaker, of 8, Hethpool-etreet, Hall-park, Paddington,
suffering from severe concussion of the brain and com-
pression, produced by extrayssation from a ruptured vessel,
caused by the railway accident at Colney Hatch, August
30, 180, and I have no doubt but that he will feel the
effect of it fur some time.

J. MORGAN, M.R.C.S.L., L.A.O.

Sept 26, 1865.

Such was the opinion of his case which the patient
obtained from his medical adviser ; such the declara-
tion which 'that gentleman made for the informa-
tion of all other parties whom it might concern. All
was perfectly plain. The accident had resulted in
nothing less alarming than concussion of the brain,
rupture of a vessel, and the compression caused by
extravaaated blood. Some days afterwards, how-
ever, the surgeon of the Company had an interview
with Mr. 3loaosa, and obtained from him the
following certificate :
I hereby certify that I found nothing serious in the case
of Mr. Johnson, 8, Hethpoobstreet, Hall-park, Paddington,
and considered him not injured by the accident at Colney
Batch. J. MORGAN, Surgeon.
Sept. D 3, 1865.
It might have been supposed that this was
enough for the Company's purpose. If Mr.
JOHNSON had not been injured by the accident,
and his own surgeon was ready to admit and certify
that fact, what fear was there that he might get a
verdict Y Still there was one defect in Mr. Mon-
GAN'S statement. Although Mr. MOROAN found
" nothing serious" in the case of Mr. JOHNSON,
Still it remained on record that the plaintiff had a
"case" the greater or less seriousness of which might
be a matter of opinion ; and the acute and persistent
surgeon of the Company was not the man to go
away with half a victory. He therefore induced
Mr. Mosi.AN once more to revise his professional
judgment, which he did, with the following result :

I hereby certify that I found nothing at nil the matter
with Mr. Johneoa, of 8, Hethpool•etreet, Hall-park,
Paddington.--Sept 1885.

So that within two days severe concussion of the
brain, rupture of one of its vessels, with extrava-
sation and compression, had become " nothing at
" all." Mr. MOHOLN ought to have the full
benefit of his excuse that when he wrote the second
and third certificates he " had been greatly over
" worked, and was called on at an unusually early
" hour in the morning." Not to put too harsh a
construction upon his conduct Mr. MOROAN appears
to be one of those good-natured men who, in
their desire to oblige everybody, cannot say, " No."
His weakness will, however, be sincerely and deeply
regretted by every honourable member of his pro-
fession, and its exposure will, we trust, serve as a
warning to all who had not hitherto reflected on the
consequences which may follow from too heedlessly
giving certificates as to facts to parties interested
in obtaining them.

THE Guardians of the Strand Union, we !egret
to say, are returning to their old bad ways. The
light that was let in upon their doings not many
months ago proves so disagreeable to them that
they are again seeking to cover themselves from
observation. Of late they have found some con-
solation in persecuting Dr. Rooms, their able
medical officer, to whom, instead of to their own
misconduct, they impute the position they now
occupy in public estimation. They have suspended
him from office, and forwarded &number of charges
against him to the Poor-law Board. Last night they
held a meeting to consider their next steps, and
also whether reporters should in future be ad-
mitted to their meetings. They began, however,
by practically deciding the latter question, for our
reporter on presenting himself was informed that the
representatives of the press would not be admitted