MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 21 November 1930, Page 16

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE.

alleged unskilful TREATMENT. INDIAN HERBALIST ON TRIAL. (PiBSS ASSOCIATION I EI.XG/lAif. I NEW PLYMOUTH, November 20. The hearing of the charge of manslaughter against Abraham Wally Mahomed Salaman, an Indian herbalist, as a result of the death of a boy of six, Lyall Gordon Christie, of Kordell. Wanganui, was commenced before his Honour the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, to-day. The tenor of the four charges was that Salaman on August 2nd caused the death of Lyall Gordon Christie, thereby committing manslaughter by omitting without lawful excuse to perform a legal duty, assumed by him iu respect of Christie, in that in attending to and prescribing for him, he failed to have and to use reasonable skill. Oa.se for the Crown. Opening the case for the Crown, Mr G. H. Weston saH, the difference' be-

tweeii accused and a medical man was that Salaman could not call himself a doctor and could not sue for fees. Apart from these facts, there was nothing to prevent him from treating anyone for reward, but if a man held himself out as a person skilled to treat people, he was liable both for damages and in the Criminal Court. That applied to a doctor as well as anyone It was the duty of the jury to lie Id the public, because people in illhealth would clutch at any straw and look for short cuts to health Prior to 19'21, continued Mr Weston, diabetes in children was a fatal disease, the deaths being a hundred per cent. Then insulin was discovered, and the percentage of deaths had now "been rndllrf-d t.n nilf pot- wnt, The hov Christie's case was diagnosed as diabetes when he was three. lie had been treated in hospital at Wnnganui and by various doctors at Wanganui. Vie later went to school. Then Mrs Christie heard of Salaman and carne to New Plvniouth. She told him the | lov ' had diabetes and was being f »ited ivith insulin. Salaman, in response to her request, told her if they ~Aiild net the insulin out of his system |' lt , would treat him. He used a stethoscope on the boys neck, which it was contended was mere mummery to im,.s people with implicit faith in 1 im-in Vlrs Christie discontinued the insulin injections. Next morning u 9 hov did not want to get up. lie could not walk steadily, vomited and comnlain"! of pains Mrs Christie ' to Salaman and explained that the insulin had been stopped, and the bov was crying for wat«r.

Alleged Treatment. The insulin had gone and the sugar was piling up in the boy's blood, said counsel. Later in the day Salaman ordered the boy to be given not more than a pint of milk in 24 hours. During the night the boy stopped asking for drink and was restless. Later he could not speak, -ind in the morning could not .swallow. Early in the morning, Mrs Christie sent a message to Salaman to say the boy was worse. He sen.t back a message to give the boy halt a dose of insulin. That was a complete change of front, said counsel. Salaman did not bother to go across the road to tall; to the mother, and the Crown's case was as much want of care as want of skill. The boy later was given quarter of a dose of insulin, but died that afternoon. The medical evidence would say the boy could have been saved by large doses of insulin, water, and sugar. Mrs Christie sent a message to say she thought the boy was dying, and Salaman sent a reply: I can't go over. 1 am not taking the case.'' Mrs Christie gave evidence on the lines of counsel's opening address, and the hearing was adjourned till tomorrow.