DOCTOR ACQUITTED.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18218, 31 October 1924, Page 10

DOCTOR ACQUITTED.

CHEERING CROWD IN COURT.

(BT CABLE—PBIS3 ASSOCIATION— COPTItIOFr (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE AStfOCIATIOS.) (Beeeived October 30th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 29. ■ There were wild scenes at the "close of the Hadwen trial. When the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty, loud cheers broke out in the crowded Court, such as are rarely heard in a Court of Justice. Officials were powerless to stay the outbreak. A larger crowd outside vociferously demonstrated when it heard the doctor had been acquitted. Dr. Hadwen, in a series of answers to the Judge, declared lie did not believe in the efficacy of anti-toxin treatment. The injection of poisoned horse blood into the human body was and contrary to Nature. He discarded the whole germ theory of disease as unscientific. ' Mr Justice Lush said: ''lf a majority of doctors favour anti-toxin, and official statistics show it has reduced the diphtheria death-rate by one-third, does not this make your responsibility of the heaviest?" Dr. Hadwen retorted: "The whole profession once favoured bleeding." , [Dr. Hadwen was charged with manslaughter of a girl patient. He is .an ahti-vaccinationist, and did not give the anti-toxin injections which other doctors, in evidence, declared would have been, the proper treatment. Accused stated that the girl had been suffering from septic tonsilitis, and died of pneumonia.]