Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-12
Other Doctors Testify

DR.. George w. Alexander of Gardi
ner testified that he was a graduate OF
Geors etown. In 1913 he had gone to the
Merrill house with DR.. Cobb. They had
found Mr.. Merrill with an oblique
fracture Of the right thigh bone. Wit
ness said the first essential in treating
fracture of the thigh was to get the
fragments in opposition, and then they
must be kept there. This is accom-
plished by the use of weights. And he
testified that after a heel sore comes
from resting the heel on the bed.
Witness upon ross-examination tes-
tilted regarding the weights used upon
the leg. And he testified that the frac-
ture was usual one and the only
danger he had seen was that the pa
tient might thrash around in bed aft
err he came out OF the influence OF Ii
good treatment to use a plaster paris
boot over sores on a foo,.
DR. Fred Cole of Gardiner testified
that he had graduated from the Ply
sicians and Surgeons School at Boston.
He had gone out to the Merrill home
with DR.. Alexander. They found Mr..
Merrill under the influence of liquor
and they worked on the leg without
Mr.. Merrill apparently knowing any
thing about it. Two days later he went
there and found the leg shorter. He
found that the weights were not in
place and he told them it was neces-
sary to reset the leg. He did not at
tend the patient again as he was tele-
phoned not to. If a leg has shortened
an inch or more in the early stages
more weight must be used.
DR.. Cole upon cross-examnation tes-
tilted that he approved of DR.. Odiorne's
method Of treatment of the case. He
testified that 1t would be good medical
treatment to leave a leg in a splint
until a bony union is formed.
Dr. Ralph D. Simons of Gardiner
stated that he had graduated from the
Medical School Of Maine. On May s,
1918, he was called with DR.. Odiorne
to the Merrill home. He found that
there was no bony union in the leg.
He had advised the Merrills to accept
the hospital treatment. Mr.. Merrill re-
fused and the only thing left was the
method Of rubbing the bones together.
Witness had explained to Mr.. Merrill
that only few of such operations were
successful and Mr. Merrill had said.
GO ahead and 1 will accept the result"
Mr.. Merrill had acknowledged to him
that the weights had been removed. giv-
ing as a reason that they We're SO pain
full. The effect Of failure of main
tanning weights and keep the bones in
position is to retard the healing. ac-
cording to his testimony. Witness had
noticed burn on the side of the pa
tents leg and it was treated while he
was there.
Witness upon crosS-examination teS-
tilted that a splint might be removed
from a leg and the patient allowed to
go on crutches in eight or 10 weeks.
He testified that he wouldn't have left
the leg with a fbrous union without
some support. And he testified that the
removal Of weights In such a case would
cause the patient to suffer pain.
Upon redirect examination he said
that the use Of splints would not keep
the bones from slipping by or maintain
the length Of the leg. He testified that
he should use some other course il in
a case there was nothing but fibrous
considered that there was bony union
in the leg now.
DR.. Charles o. Clason Of Gardiner
testified that about October l. 1913. he
saw Mr.. Merrills leg at the request Of
o. B. Clason. When he saw the leg at
the house there was absent the angular
condition of the leg, which now exists.
Upon cross-examination witness said
that at that time in his opinion the
bones Of the leg had slipped by. He
did not consider 1t would have been
good medical treatment to cover sores
on a leg with a shoe SO that the doc
tor couldn't have access to dress them
John ". Hilbert of Gardiner. proprie-
tor Of the Johnson House. testified re-
gaYding going with DIR. Simons to the
Merrill house and assisting in perform
ing an operation upon Mr.. Merrill at
DR.. Simons' request. Mrs. Merrill was
speaking then about removing the