The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-02
DR.. JOHNSTON REPLIES
Continued from First Paxe.)

perience in cases of this kind. to see
him. DR.. Bowen visited the hospital
with Or. Boice the night of the 18th,
and at that time they were unable to
make definite diagnosis. The pa
TENTS condition was reported as be-
ing progressively worse. J. then re-
auested DIR. Beverly r. Tucker, a prom
inent neurologist of this city, to see
him He say him on January nth and
on the morning of the 18th. DIR. Tucker
then advised that,an exploratory opera
ton be performed. / left my private
hospital in the midst of surgical work.
took my partner. DIR. Willis and my
assistant DR.. Boice. went to the City
home and operated on Crawley. and
found an abscess of the brain. two
inches in front of the wound on his
skull. Crawiey died n short time after
the operation.
IT is claimed that this operation was
performed by an assistant not on the
hospital staff This is false. I, myself
performed the operation. assisted by
my partner. DR.. Willis, DR.. Boice, one
OF my assistants. being present The
operation did not disclose any hemor-
image or serious depression OF the skull
showing that an immediate operation
was not indicated and would not neces-
sarily have changed the result. When
] learned that the man who had in
ficted this injury on Crawley was to
be put on trial for his life, ! volun
tarily called on the commemorative
attorney and told him that ! was un-
willing for this man to be tried for his
life without stating the fun facts in
the case. when I saw the man l did
not take off the bandage to examine
the wound as there was nothing to in
dicats that this WAS necessary and tt is
not customary under such circum-
stances The first three days gave no
Indication that his injury was grave
one. When serious symptoms began
to develop l called in consultants to
determine upon a positive diagnosis.
and when reasonably definite conelu-
sion was reached. / proceeded to OPP
crate for what turned out to be an
abscess on the brain. Crawley's death
was not the Immediate result of the
hlaw-but- was-eaased- by-infectiou.
This infection in all probability set in
at the moment the blow was Inflicted
If this is true. no treatment would
have changed the result. 1t is possible
however, that the infection may have
occurred because Of the omission to
thoroughly sterilize this wound prompt
~ after his admission. 1t was this
possibly which led me to pursue the
course ! did. and give to the man
charged with murder the benefit of this
doubt.
do not know whether any of the
men who have brought these charges
against me would have had the cou-
rage to do what I did in the Crawley
case but 1t seemed to me the only
manly course to pursue. AS chief sur
geon In charge. I assumed all the
blame in the matter which In any way
attached to anyone whatever, that a
man might not be convicted of a crime
of which he possibly might not be
guilty.
Helped City Hospital.
/ was largely instrumental in i'm
proving the professional service at
the City hospital, and putting It upon
a footing OF n modern hospital. and
find from its records that either l.,
my partner. or one of my assistants,
visited it every day during January.
February and March OF my term in
1912, and my term In 1913. in which
am charged with neglect OF duty
BY the rules as interpreted by the
committee on relief of the poor and
by the visiting staff. / had the right
to send in my place one Of my asso-
ciates when ] was unable to be pres
ent in person. These were my part