The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-05
PRETENDING 70 BE CRIPPLED.

A Cisss Of MsiIngersrs Who Seek to Re-
cover Damages from Railroads.
OF late wears a new class OF mdingerers
has arisen This Is composed OF tue peo-
Die who. when any accident happens TO
railway train. steamboat or otner convey
ance owned by corporation or rich person
1t which they are present as passengers
pretend that they have been seriously
Injured and forthwith bring suit against
the propnetors In immense sums for dam
ages. A smattering Of medical knowledge
Is very soon acquired BY these people dur
Ing their examinations BY their physicians,
and they are thus often enabled to cut
pretty good figure before jury l do not
think 1t IL at all difficult to detect these
impostors.
It is rarely the case that they arc so
consistent In their detail Of alleged symp
toms and in their conduct as to deceive
medical man thoroughly well skilled In
his profession Besides this they gener-
ally overact their part in their efforts to
deceive. and, II subjected to close scrutiny
for some considerable time. or at periods
when they do not suspect that they are
watched. scarcely ever fail to show them
selves In their true cOlors
Not long since was applied to by a
young man. who Informed Inc that. about
a month previously. In getting of street
railway car. lie had been violently thrown
to the ground. so that he had wrenched
his back. had become partially paralyzed
In both legs. and had. besides. sustained
| serious internal injuries In addition to
wanting my professional advice he de
sired all examination. with special view
OF having me to testify before court in
suit for 100000 damages. which lie in
tended to institute against the railway
| company caused him to take oil his
clothes. and found at once that there
was no emaciation. On the contrary, his
body was remarkably well nourished. lie
complained Of pain in the upper region OF
the spine. and screamed in apparent
agony when slightly touched that part
of his body ltseemed to me then that
i there was an unusual degree OF sensitive
| ness. and not at all such as would have
! been developed had he been really injured
| in the way he described The grasp OF
his hand was very weak. but at the same
| time his muscles were large and well
| formed
| | was satisfied even at the time that he
| vas making the most OF his condition. If
not actually deceiving me next asked
| him &c walk around the room until told
him to stop At first he tottered over the
door as if about to fall ut every step and
complained Of great pains in bis legs As
he continued walking. however. ! kept
| him in conversation. so as TO divert hts
| mind from himself As a consequence he
| was thrown of his guard, as expected
| he would be. so that after half dozen
turns his gait was measurabiy improved.
and at times was as good as 1t ever had
| been. OF course. If there had been any
real paralysis. every step he took would
| have added to his lameness Some other
methods of examination with instruments
of precision placed the fact Of his fraudu
lent pretensions beyond doubt. then
accused him of deception. and recapitu
lated to him the points which by his in
sufficient knowledge Of the subject had
led to his detection After numerous pro
,estations he confessed that he had been
drilled by al attorney to simulate spinal
injury with a view to defraudng the rail
way company.-Dr. William A. Hammond
in Boston Globe.