Star.
London, England, 1828-12-22 00:00:00

THE LATE SURGICAL

71110 M 7112 MEDICAL GAM?, or SAW/MEAT LAM
COC•PER V. VfAICELIT.
" The result of the trial has been all that we anticipated with re..
geed to Mr. Cooper, and more, much more than we bad conceived
possible with regard to the exposure of the Latest. We ha* beard
it said and we believe it to be the general feeling, that the amount
of damages ought to have been larger. But this depends entirely
upon the light in which the subject is viewed. If the damages be
considered either as a recompense to Mr. Cooper or as a punish-
ment to his traducer, then they ate in either case deficient indeed;
but, if they be regarded, ai they ought to be, merely as marking the
opinion of the Jury as to the falsehood and malice of the libel, then
they must be considered as amply sufficient ; for Juries are utterly
incapable of estimating the value of professional character, while
they are so extremely jealous of the liberty of the press, that they
seldom gl4e more than nominal damages, and never any thing like
the present amount, except in cases of the most flagrant descrip-
tion. Besides which, the Judge expressly charged the Jury not
to give damages according to their indignation, but merely such as
should dispassionately mark their sense of the libel.
" The triumph of truth and honour over falsehood and disho-
nour has, therefore, in our opinion, been complete, and the pro-
fession is under deep obligation to Mr. Cooper for the bold, manly.
and uncompromising manner in which he has come forward to
vindicate his reputation, and drag the secret slanderer of himself
and of his brethren from the dark recesses of his infamy.
" By every impartial man acquainted with the subject Mr.
Cooper will be regarded es brain suet with one of those difficult
and perplexing eases where the efforts of the most expert and
skilful surgeons are not always crowned with success till after
much anxiety and delay—an anxiety so great to sensitive minds,
that Cheselden, the most successful and celebrated lithotomiu this
country ever produced. tells us, that he used to feel it' even to
sickness'—and delay sometimes so unavoidable, that John Hunter
and Mr. Cline and Sir Astley Cooper have all bad patients en the
table for a NIG& longer period than in the present instance—nay,
an anxiety and delay so great, that they have been known to un-
nerve some of the most experienced and skilful men in the profes-
sion, having on one occasion caused Mr. Abernethy to ask another
surgeon to finish an operation of lithotorny which he Memel( was
unable to complete. Yet his competency has never been questioned.'
" To all reflecting men it must be matter of serious apprehension
to think what the consequences may be, if the difficulties and
fearful responsibility attending capital operations are to be yet
further increased by the consciousness on the part of the surgeon,
that there are present those who. instead of participating in his
anxious efforts, gloat with fiendish delight on his embarrassment.
ready to caricature, to exaggerate, and to pervert.
" The character of Mr. Cooper has been subjected to the severest
scrutiny, and the result has proved, beyond the possibility of doubt,
not only his general skill as a surgeon, but his dexterity as an ope-
rator; several competent judges having sworn, that they bad he.
queenly seen him perform not only lithotomy but some of tbs ease
most difficult operations in an ' admirable' manner.
" From this we turn to a more grateful subject—the generous
sympathy in Mr. Cooper% feelings which has been evinced by the
students in the Borough, who have announced their intention to pre-
sent him with a piece of plate. The idea is alike honourable to their
hearts and heads ; and in after life, when they enter upon the duties
of their profession, and the hour of their own difficulties shall come
—come it must to almost every man in our most useful but imper-
fect art, we trust that they will not be so cruelly treated as their
teacher has been. but that the publication which now disgraces the
profession shall ere then have ceased to exist ; and they that may
meet with less malicious and more candid critics. who, if they • nu-
thine extenuate,' at least will set down nought in malice."