The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-15
New York Money and Stock Market.
REGAL IMTnLLrqHNcn.
Alleged Malpractice-Profess Gross Vim.
dicated.

District Court-Judge Lynd
This court was to-day engaged with the case OF
Henrietta Fisher colored VS. Professor q. ID. Gross
ana DR.. Samuel w. Gross, which was an action to
recover damages for the death OF plantrs husband,
part of the defendants. The.deceased, TAaddeus
Stevens, an intelligent young colored man, while
serving as soldier, In June, 1854 received wound
ton just above the knee, and he afterwards wore
artificial leg upon the stump.
After the close of the war he registered himself
a student at-law in the office of ]. Wagner Jer-
mon, of this CITY, and then attended lectures at the
Howard College in Washington. In 1867 he married
the plaintiff but in the course of year he deserted
her. Returning here in June, 1869, to attend the
funeral OF his brother he became reconciled to his
wife and lived with her several weeks when they
again separated, intending, however, to resume
their married relations when his studies should be
completed. The amputation had caused an
aDeurism to form just below the joint OF the thigh
bone, which gave rise to worrisome humping and
pusation in the artery, and this was aggravated by
a fall from car in Baltimore. After going to see
several medical gentlemen he called upon Professor
formed, the Professor operating himself, attended
by his son, DR.. Samuel GROSS, and several
other eminent surgeons. This Is capital
operation and one OF the most critical known to sur
gerry There were several methods OF treatment re
eognzed 10 the ana IN TIM 5ns & case tnaT S oa
operation all that skill and care could make IT,
The patient was taken from the operation room OF
the Jefferson College to his residence In Addison
street. where he was constantly attended by Profess
sor Gross, who prescribed for him, and by Drs.
Samuel Gross, Andrews, NeIcomb, Saunders, john
son, and Allis, and nursed by students OF the col
lege. There was lack OF attention, for some of
these gentlemen were always with him, day and
night, and Professor Gross left orders to have the
nearest physician sent for In case bleeding should
occur, and when 1t did lake place physician was
these operations is the secondary h9morrhage,
and after the lapse OF several days the hemorrhage
happened, and was checked. Fifteen minutes before
death came Dr. Samuel Gross visited the patient,
and shaking him by the hand said, 'Fisher you are
not going TO die; you know me-" This was the only
specification OF malpractice in the patients room
that was alleged, and when Mrs. Fisher said he was
acting TOO rudely tne Doctor sala "No; Thought
GROSS and all the others were without compensa-
tion. Before death Fisher sent for Mr.. Jermon and
said that II he died he wished the matter TO be in
vestigated, and Professor Gross to be sued for
heavy damages. Alderman Nichols was procured
| Court ruled not to be evidence. The Coroner
| held an inquisition, which exonerated the sur
| geons. Subsequently, against the express wish
OF the mother OF the deceased the body was dlsn-
tered by order OF Mr.. Jermon, and reeXamined by
| DR.. Dun, who was unable to discover from II any
evidence of malpractice, even the cause OF DEATH
| the veins having been removed from the stump by
| the Coroners physician. Suit was then instituted
by Mr.. JermoD, according, as he said, to the dying
request OF Fisher. The following is the substance
| of.the medical testimony submitted against Profess
DIR. washington j. Dune, Professor of Surgery at
| the Philadelphia University-I cannot tell what
would have done in this case; might have elevated
the stump or resorted to digta or mechanical pres
| sure; have lost patient from secondary hem.
orrhage, which is very dnicult to Stop the opera
| such an operation should suppose students would
| make drst-class nurse; some surgeons would put a
double knot on the lgature and some half not; it
| is simply matter Of judgment prompted by the
| circumstances OF each case
| DIR. Edgar t. Simms--lf were operating for
aneurism might ligate the arteries as was done in
this case the operation for aneurism is critical
one; it would be advisable to have students for
Tr. William Hunt OF the Pennsylvania Hospital
This operation is a capital one; man, having his
| limb amputated, may, after enjoying six years OF
good healrh, have an aneurism that would call for
| the operation; there are many other capital opera
| tions and no surgeon should shirk performing
| them IL hs duty required them; If saw man suf-
fering from aneursm might consider the half Knot
the super one as used in this case; never knew q
man TO submit to the operation unless he knew he
DR. W. w. Keen, OF the Jefferson College-When
an operation OF this kind has occurred, aud hemor-
rhage followed would prefer to take up the artery
rather than amputate; consider the operation fol
aneursn, critical one, attended by various degrees
OF danger TO the patient aneurism might be formed
after lapse OF time; In case like this l would
prefer igaton OF the artery, because II Is the Less
dangerous operation, and amputation would neces
state taking on the limb at the hp-oiDt, which Il
very dangerous; secondary hemorrhages are very
common no matter what treatment Is applied an1
they are the danger OF the operation the usual mode
Of treating ansurlsm Is tying up the artery ant
dangerous operations are performed daily.
at the close OF plaintifs case the defendants in
sisted upon going to the jury and making their vim
dcaticn still stronger than the evidence for thi
piaintiff had made it, but Judge Lynd said he woult
nroyed that called for word OF testimony or expa
nation from them, aud after hearing John q. John
| son, ESQ.,. IN a pOWerIul dfBumcnt Ia tueI Dendl
and Mr. Jermon in favor OF the plaintiff, his Homo
| entered a nOnsuit against the latter.
| Professor GROSS was almost overcome by the con
gratulations showered upon him by his friends.
Heavy Sentence.
Court Of Quarter Sessions-.Judge PdrsoHh
In the case OF James Mccullough, James Kerr
and James Murphy, tried for the outrage Commits
last Sunday In Oantwen street. above Ninth, tn
Jury rendered a verdict OF guilty, ana McOuIloug
and Kerr were sentenced 70 q dne OF $1,000 and nj
teen years In the Eastern Penitentary, and Murph
was sentenced 70 like one and ave years In n
Raafern penitentiarV.