The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-10-30
DEFENSE TO CLAIM
Continued from Page -

Falls testified that he was called to
attend George Field Aug. 10 between
and o'clock He found him sitting
in q chair in the dining room of the
restaurant, apparently in somewhat
dazed condition. DR.. Blodgett started /
to take Field s temperature, but the /
patient broke the thermometer by bit t
ing it. Further examination revealed |
the fact that Field could not talk I
coherentlv, and the doctor noted a
slight swelling above and behind the |
right ear. He was positive that Field
understood what was said to him at
that time. That night DR.. BIodgett
took Field to the hospital, called DR..
Ridden in consultation and found
depressed fracture of the skull at the
point where the swelling was. He also
discovered black and blue spots on the
left shoulder and on the left arm
Around the bruises on the arm the
skin was roughcned as if the member
had been seized and rotated There
was also a black and blue spot on the
left thigh. DR.. Bodgett said consid
cradle force would have been neces-
sary to make the spots on the arm.
! Still further examination showed that
the pupil Of the right eye was dilated;
the patient was able to speak dscon-
neeted words; he showed no paralysis
at the time.
On Monday, Aug. II, Or. Hill and
DR. Miner also saw Field, whose stu
por had then increased. That morning
the skull was trephined to raise the
| depressed piece of bone and it was
found necessary to chip away portions
l of ha Il Al; hp
Field showed slight Improvement
Aug. -, but then began to fail and
died the afternoon Of Aug. A. The
witness told of being present at the
autopsy. which was performed by Drs.
Stone and Whitney, for whom the
witness made notes, and described the
marks that were found on the inside
Of the scalp. 1t was his opinion that
Field died from q fractured skull
caused by violence from without. and
that the injury might have taken place
some time before the victim began tt
lose consciousness, possibly q hours
before According to Dr. Blodgett 5
belief there was no hope Of saving
Fields life after he had sustained the
injury.
On cross examination bv Mr.. Molo
ney, DR.. Blodgett did not recall seeing
Il amy bruises on the top of Field :.
] skull and didn t remember having ties
4 tilted At the hearing before .Iustic,
. BTien that such marks were note,
4 mt the autopsy. II there was evidence
4 of blood clots on top of the skull tn
doctor thought they must have beer
4 due to the wound on the back of tn
4 head He reiterated his belief tina
3 it would he possible for person t
q receive such a blow as Field receive
4 and not lose consciousness for ,
F.. hours, basing this opinion. he said, o
reading and personal experience as
q physician In answer to q request b
d Mr. Moloney he gave the names G
& several writer's &C medical works o
the sub iect of bone fractures br
acknowledged none of them as autho
tiles.
Z DIR. !. s. Hin Of Bellows Falls test
4 fled to having examined Field and
q having noted the depression in tt
! skull indicating fracture. He ";
q present at the operation and the auto
~ and told what he saw at both. +
Il expressed the opinion that a perse
= might live p, SIS or even IS hou
q after receiving such blow wItho
4 losing consciousness. lie felt posltn
B that the fracture was due TO extern
violence and that no medical aid cou
have saved Field.
The cross examination to which
~ was subjected by Mr.. Moloney "
- very similar to that which DR.. Bio
aett underwent and brought out
Oh uew facts Of great Importance.
= I