The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-29 00:00:00

BRITISII COLLEGE OF HEALTH, 'New-
;road, London.
A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS
TR &NSPORTATION !
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY NEWS.

Sin,—lt appears by the " Medical Times" of the 24th instant that
the whole medical body is in a state of alarm at the conviction of a
medical practitioner in Cornwall, who has been sentenced to' 10
years' transportation for administering saving to a young woman
with intent to produce abortion. Every medical man who ad-
ministers a poison now fancies that he stands a chance of trans-
portation. If such were really the case, we do not hesitate
to say that a great boon would be conferred upon society; but
we presume that so long as poisons can be used, or held out
as medicines. in order to prop up the guinea-trade, they will
continue to figure in the pharmacopoeia, and in the chemist's
shop. It is truly lamentable to see even the State, lending
itself to the countenance of these deadly poisons, rather than that
the trade of doctors should suffer ; otherwise, why did they not In-
clude at least a dozen other poisons in Lord Carlisle's Bill about
the sale of arsenic ? Was it because they would not frighten the
patients ?
apßpliecaTertitoian
ddeitn I cesot given Reverting
is at
l or thee to
ho
oasme
audnedteor consideration, ss iedcerreatt la
Secretary
,ot Statewouldfo appear p
remissione ar that
of the sentence passed on Mr. Pascoe, on the ground that the evi-
agaTinheits
is
himexbyachtliys brother doctor
edhoacvtoerailswnaoytstsvaiordt—hynoafmcerbe.-,
that let doctors do what they pleale, they are accountable to ne
one. As to judge and jury, they are mere automatons in the hands
of doctors. And why is all this? Simply because the science of me-
dicine, as it is called, is a jumble of absurdities and contradictions,
having no fixed principles ; and which, in the hands of doctors, can
be turned and twisted to suit any emergency.
This conviction will, we trust, enlighten the public on what we
call the "medical liberty of the subject," it will show them the ex-
tent of the power possessed by the man with the diploma in his
pocket. Assuming Pascoe to be innocent (which we do not pretend
to say), here is the liberty of a man taken away on the mere ipse
dixit.of a common country doctor, although tried before a most acute,
learned, and humane judge ; bet himself completely in the hands of
the doctor. Now, we ask, should the liberties of Englishmen he
placed in such jeopardy? What miserable exhibitions doctors make
Of triemseives and their calling whenever they come before the courts
of law ! in the present case we shall fled them calling on the Govern-
ment to annul a sentence became it tends to make them responsible
for the administration of poisons. Most likely l'ascoe will be pardoned ;
it would be a pity that the least check should be given to the poison
traffic ; the guinea-trade might suffer ; some more respectable doc-
tor might be. made answerable, and sentenced to ten years' trans-
portation, which would be highly unpleasant. We suppose this
case was brought before the world quite by mistake. Mr. Moorman,
who gave evidence, Is catching it right and left from his medical
brethren. In conclusion, we have oniy to repeat that the crime of
poisoning, and all other misdeeds ensile, out of it, will not receive a
check until doctors cease from administering poisons as medicines.
So lung as they, themselves, are at the very kead and front of the
offenders, all law and Justice must lie prostrate, and the most guilty
party most easily escape.
Why do Hygeistraelairn the- medical liberty of the subject ? Be-
cause they do not deal with poisons. If medicine were reduced to
what Ifygeists contend it should be, such cases as Pascoe's could not
occur unless the party really acted feloniously. But, as it is, any
doctor may give what poison he, pleases, and then say.that lie gave
it "medicinally." And eE
what.law,
touch him? Surely,
the
people fearlessly ask is
much
hleorneg to
,e
put up with the present order of things, by which the lives of the
mu
people are kept in constant jeopardy, and the law and the judges
brought into contempt. Let a stop be put to the sale of all, poisons
by all pharmaceutical chemists ; anti all doctors, whether diplo-
mated or not, be prevented from prescribing them for diseases ; then,
anti then only, will the country be In a safe and healthy state, not
otherwise.

We are,•sir, your obedient servants.
TIIE..MEMBERS OF TILE BRITISH COLLEGE
OF IMALTII.

April 26, 1852.