"OUTLAWED" DOCTORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 78, 27 December 1918, Page 4

"OUTLAWED" DOCTORS

DAMAGES AGAINST BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. Mr. Justice MacCardio in the King's Bench Division awarded damages to three Coventry doctors, who, ho held, hnd been boycotted, libelled, and slandered by the British' Medical Association. Giving judgment, he said that in 1907 the medical staff of the Coventry Provident Dispensary resigned. Dr. .A. St.' Lawrence Burke then joined the stall. It was alleged that the dispensary had no rules about the maximum wages of its patients, and took members at an unnecessarily low rate of subscription, and Dr. Burko was boycotted by tho members of tho British Medical Association. Dr. E. C. Pratt, Dr. D. llolmes, and Dr. C.i H. Cairns (since dead) afterwards joined the staff and were also boycotted.

The bitterness of the boycotting campaign, Mr. Justice MacCardio said, fell not only on tlie doctors, but also on their wives ai;d families. Tho association claimed to enforce by boycott and by the infliction of ruin their, own standard of medical honour and . interests. That touched the.vital interests of every medical man who might be exposed to de. gradation and dishonour at the will of a body which wasvdevoid of the slightest statutory sanction in that behalf. The plaintiffs had been punished because they defeated the intention to overthrow the dispensary. They 'had not sinned against the honour of the medical profession. The rules of the association were in restraint of trade and void on grounds of public policy. For unlawful molestation of them in their profession he awarded Dr. Burlce 31000 and Dr. Holmes • and Dr, Pratt J!7ofl each.

On the claim for libel and slander ho awarded Dr. Burke <£420, Dr. Pratt i!G3O, and Dr. Holmes .£360.