The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-02
CHARGE OF MALPRACTICE
The Child's Arm Bound to His Body
For Fourteen Days.
IT'S NOW TERRIBLY DRAWN AND USELESS
The Mother Of The Child Tells Of lis Intense
Sufferings and the Cutting Of the Band
ages Into the Swollen and Black.
ened Flesh.

RI
There is now ON trial in Wake SUI
perior court d suit for damages. against
two physicians of this city, alleging NAL
practice.
1t is said to be the first case of the
kind ever known in this county.
The plaintiff is four-year- child,
Robert Collins, the action being brought
by his father, ]. L. Collins, and the de-
PENDANTS are DR.. Arthur, o. Jones and DR..
Thomas NJ. Jordan. The amount of
damages asked is 10000
On June 18th, 1900, the Collins child
dslocated it's elbow joint. DR.. Jones and
Or. Jordan were called in. They reset
the dislocation and bound no the arm,
fastening it close to the body by bandages
around the waist and shoulders. 1t was
kept in this position for fourteen days,
during which time the sufferings OF the
child are said to have been very great.
When the bandages were taken OFF the
arm was black and cut in four places by
the bandages. The hand is now drawn
and deformed and the arm useless.
These are, in effect, the allegations set
forth in the complaint, with the further
charge that the deformity to the arm
and its present uselessness are due to
ignorant or careless treatment on the
rart of the attending physicians, and it
is on this ground that damages are
sought.
The mother of the child was on the
stand yesterday afternoon. She told OF
the accident to the child in June, and the
summoning of DR.. Jones and DR.. Jordan.
The manner in which the arm was
dressed by them and bound to the body
was described, and she added
Il thought the arm was badly dressed
and / continually asked DR.. Jones when
the bandages would be taken off. He
told me' he would attend to that, and he
would take them off in time"
What treatment was administered?
Nothing but witch hazel, and one time
when | told DR.. Jordan about the child s
sufrerings he told me to give him pare
goric. and that would relieve the pain.
ITO whom did you complain about the
tandages ?"
ITO both. but most to DR.. Jones. who
kept assuring me the arm was alright
ana ne q TAKE IL uoWh III IihlS'
did he ever take it DOWN.
yes. finally. when he said he was
going to Washington to be gone several
days"
What was its condition."
Perfectly black clear down to the
finger TIPS and two places on the arm
cut about to the bone by the bandages
and two similar places on the hand.
did DR.. Jones come any more?
mo. but Dr. Jordan did. He kept
coming up till sometime in August"
What did he tell you to do for the
ARM"
Put witch hazel on it.
"Did YOU do anything else for it, other
than what DR.. Jones and DR.. Jordan told
you?''
Not while they were coming. After
they stopped | got some carbolic soap
and washed it until the cut places on it
we're healed up"
At this point further hearing of the
case was postponed till this morning.
During Mrs CollinsJ testimony the
childs arm. drawn and SCARED and
hanging at its side. was shown to the
Jury. They examined it with deep in
terest.
The defendants have different lawyers
and have put in separate answers. Eacn
alleges that il was not his case at all
but that he was called in simply to as
slst the other doctor in resetting the dis
location and treating the injured limb
The present condition of the arm, both
allege to be due to disobedience OF tneii
orders on the part of the parents. TheS
deny that if their instructions mad peer
followed there would have been any oae
results.
The case is attracting much interest.