The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-04-10

/ VI lihHup Was thC hCAt "ithtoD obo
told of the treatment which the plain
tiff had received at the hospital. Wit
ness said X-ray picture was taken of
the injured member and Mr.. Mitchell
was placed In q Bucks Extension ap-
paratus for treatment within a week
or ten days. He believed that an
operation was the only thing that in
Dictated proper union of the bones
and then described the operation
which consisted of cutting down on
the thigh bone, with center of Incl
sion at point of fracture, saving Off
fractured ends OF bone which were
overlapping, he thought. three quar-
tiers of an inch. DR.. Bradford then
j continued with his description of the
operation saying that a piece of bone
was taken from the thigh bone to
graft the fracture. This was six inch
es in length. Beef bone pegs, he
thought ten in number, were put in
10 hold the graft In position, drains
were put in and a plaster of paris
caste was applied to the man shortly
below the ribs to the toes. Witness
said that after the operation the bones
did not unite as successfully or as
rapidly as il had been hoped, but
finally there was very good union.
Under cross examination by Attor-
ney Merrill, DR.. Bradford said that
callus, natures remedy for union of
bones, could be detected with the
X-ray and as he recalled it the X-ray
picture did not in this case appear to
show any callus. He further admit
| ted that he thought there was none
ON the bones when the operation was
performed. Questioned further DIR.
Bradford said if the callus did not
exist, there could not have been a
| firm union of the fracture. The de-
Tense was not opened until Friday
morning.
| The grand jury arose from its DELHI
erations Thursday afternoon and re-
turned nine indictments, four of
which were made public.
MALPRACTICE CASE ON FRIDAY
DIR. Rowland was recalled to the
stand Friday morning and questioned
on direct by Attorney Haskell about
/ hospital conditions in the towns of
Oakfeld and Harmony, where he had
previously practiced. also in the towns
of his previous locations, evidently to
determine If the methods of treating
Mr.. Mitchell's fracture were in ac-
coFdance with the usual and accepted
method of treating fractures.
OPENING OF THE DEFENSE
The defense was then opened by
Attorney L. F. Merrill who claimed
that the existing condition of Sum
ner Mitchell was not due in any way
to the want of care on the part of
Drs. Wilson and Moulton. He said
there was no question about the in
jury which the plaintiff received or
that the plaintiffs leg was broken.
He explained that Mrs. Norman Willis
was asked to get a doctor the night
of the accident and she called Dr..
Wilson, who told her that he did no
surgery and would not come to set
the fracture. Then DIR. Moulton' S
name was mentioned and DR.. Wilson
said that he would telephone to DR..
Moulton and he would come to assist.
DR.. Wilson reached there first and
the defense claimed told Mitchell that
| the hospital was the place for him.
Mr.. Mitchell, it was claimed, did not
wish to go, and after DIR. Moulton
came and found the thigh broken, it
was stated that he also told the suffer
ing man that the place for him was
in the hospital Defense averred
that Mitchell told the doctors they
could do all right there and Ralph
Denning, who was there was told how
to prepare the splints and the same
was attended to by Mr. Denning, who
went to a nearby mill and prepared
\ the same as directed. The splints
included one long splint, it was claim
ed to reach from the bottom of the
foot almost to the arm pit, over which
was folded a sheet and the two were
then wound with gauZe. Co-applica-
! ton splints were then prepared pad
ded with wadding while n metal
splint was applied over the knee and
! above the fracture, it was claimed.
The fracture was then reduced, DR..
Wilson taking no part in the setting
of the leg, it was stated, also that the
! leg was measured and found 3-4 OF
an inch shorter than the other leg,
but in perfect alignment. Instruc-
tons were given that Mitchell be kept
uulct anu LII. AiohtOH Suid tiioS az
could not attend to it, because of his
living SO far distant and being other
wise occupied, and that while DR.. Will
son did not wish to take the case he
consented to do SO. 1t was further
claimed In the opening that when DR.
Wilson came the third day after the
accident he found Mitchell bolstered
up in bed, and at another time Dr. Will
son found that Mitchell had slipped
down into the bed and both times
demonstrated with him telling him
that he must bC kept quiet. Defense
! claimed that DR.. Wilson continued to
come until January "a and that he
could tell that the patient was NOV
! ing about in the bed and admonshed
! him not to do it; that according to a
. previous arrangement DR.. Moulton was
to come in about month which he
did and found from the appearances
of the bandages on the leg that the
patient had rolled about in his bed
1t was alleged that DR., Moulton took
down the splints and put the man in
a caste for the sole purpose of NOV
ing him to hospital, and arranged