The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-27
DocT~ Rs'DAY IN COURT.
W. W. Barrough Fails to Get $4,000
DRnaRea Frnrn DR. Grnth

W. W. Barrough Fails to Get $4,000
Damages From DIR. Groth.
The city cou was occupied all yesterday
In the trial of the damage suit OF w. w.
Barrough against DR.. H. II. Groth for
$4,000 for malpractice. At 7:SO o'clock
last night the jury, after having been out
half an hour, returned a verdict for de-
PENDANT.
Tho case was rather a peculiar one.
On Disc. 10, 1885, Barrough was thrown
from Belt Lne car at West Broad and
Margaret streets, and had three Of his ribs
broken. DR.. Sheftall attended him for
awhile, and then Dr. Keller. March 81 DIR.
Keller, who was sick, requested DR.. Groth
to attend Barrough, and he did so, paying
him three visits
This is where the peculiar feature comes
In. BarTough claimed that DR.. Groth changed
DIR. Keller's treatment, and ordered him to
dispense with the bandages which DR..
Keller had on his side, promising to give
him something internally TO relieve the pain
This change Of treatment, Barrough said,
caused one Of his ribs not to knit, and he
brought damages to compensate himself for
! the injuries sustained through the alleged
carelessness of the physician.
DR.. Groth stated that he had been sent by
Keller to treat Barrough for diarrhoea and
fever, and no knew nothing Of the broken
ribs. He found the man suffering as
described by Keller, and gave him the
necessary renedi 8 without any examina-
ton. He admitted that Barrough COM
panied Of his side, but supposed 1t was
caused by the bowe disorder.
DIR. Keller testified that he had been
treating Barrough for the broken ribs as
well as diarrbcea and fever. aud had asked
DR.. Greth to look after the patient while he
was sick.
Drs. Cerscn, Rich and Elliott were exam
ined as experts as to what was a proper ex-
| amin alton physicians should make before
treating patients. Their testimony was
| given in medical lore.
Thomas 8. Morgan, Jr., Esq. and W. E.
Morrison Esq., represented the plaintiff
and Solicitor General Fraser and Hon. p.
| w. Meldrfm the defendant.
Mr.. Morgan made the opening and clos
! ing arguments. He coateuded that Bar
rough was entitled to damages from the
fac. that DIR. Groth had displayed negli-
gence in not making proper examination,
and under the law physician was not
| allowed to treat a person on the statement
II Others, but must make careful
and minute examination to find the cause
| Of the trouble before applying remedies
| This, Mr.. Morgan said, DR. Grobh had failed
to do. and therefore left himself liable TO
the consequence resulting fron his negli-
| gence.su III aygas9 80
Mr.. Meldrim did not make a very long
argument for DR. Groth.,e He claimed thai
! Barrough had utterly failed to make out
his case, aud he could, not recover from the
! Physician fer being thrown from a street
car. Before Dr. Groth could be held liable
it must be shown that an injury had been
caused by him in his treatment, which had
net been proven in any manner, shape or
| form. ,s rr
Mr. Meldrim ridiculed the position of
plaintiffs csunsel shat q physician could be
held liable for something which had hap
pened months before the case was given into
his hands. tr.sa,s
Bagrough sued the Belt Line last July and
recovered 5000 for being thrown from the
car. Hon. p. W. Meidrim, who opposed
him yesterday, was his counsel in that suit.