A DOCTOR'S BILL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 214, 2 June 1866, Page 3

A DOCTOR'S BILL.

(Continued from our last.) Have observed him somewhat intoxicated on sevi ral occasions Once ho fell down en hia knees alongside the screen which runs across the ward Could not say whether the patients were well supplied with fond. Once Robert Moss asked for a piece of fowl, but the wardaman told him there \va9 uone, at the same time offering to cools him a piece of clip or steak instead. The servants sometimes got drunk. By the Court—l never knew R. Moss drink a bottle of brandy during the day. The greatest quantity of liquor he ever consumed, to my knowledge, was half a bottle in twenty-four hours, and then he was very ill indeed. He did not drink more than a spoonful at a time. He never drank two or three bottles a-day. There was a little brandy brought in, but never a full bottle. The cook and other hospital servants sometimes came in and drank the liquor. Charles Fopperly sworn, deposed—l am a physician, practising at Greymouth. I was called on to attend on Mr P. Moss's brother on the 29th March. Saw him for the first time at Mr Moss's store. Under my treatment the patient progressed. The incised wound I sewed up, and afterwards he soon got better, and was sent away to Auckland. At Greymouth the fee of a physician is usually £l, but we charge according to circumstances. In such a7i extraordinary case as this, I do not think that £lO a-week is a high charge for a private hospital, including medical attendance and maintenance. I think it a fair charge on both sides. Cross-examined by Mr Macgregor—ln many cases it is necessai-y to use spirits as stimulants, but not more than a tablespoonful at a time every five minutes dur ing the whole day. I have had some experience in connection with hospitals. Patients in a private hospital are very expensive. I charged Mr. R. Moss as little as possible, at the request of his brother. I always make an allowance when the patient has been a longtime suffering. Mr South requested permission of the Bench to again place M r Patrick Moss in the witness box.

Mr P. Moss re-sworn —Stated that Dr Cotterill had, on the morning of the operation on Mr R. Moss,. called at his store, and there affirmed that the operation last night -was badly performed, and that he would never professionally visit Dr Jackson again. Also, that the knife used was blunt in the extreme. He furthermore added that the charges made by Dr Jackson were exhorbitant.

This concluded the evidence, Mr South addressed the Court for the defence in an able speech, and was followed by Mr Macgregor for the plaintift. His "Worship, in giving judgement, ran through Dr Jackson's bill. He considerd the first item, £24, as an exhorbitant charge, but the hospital charges were too high. He therefore thought that if the two brothers paid £lO per week to Dr Jackson whilst they were under his immediate care, thatgentleman would be well remunerated. As for the quantity of brandy consumed, his Worship had no hesitation in saying that he felt convinced the two young men never drank it, however they might have been reduced by the fever. It would be impossible for them to have done so. He considered that item in the bill as perfectly monstrous, and thought that the sum of £l2O lis Gd. already paid by the defendant to Dr Jackson as amply sufficient. Indeed, he con-

sidered it an overcharge. He shoul therefore give judgment for the defendai with costs. The decision was received by a marke demonstration from the audience, who te: tificd their applause in the xisual manne: This, however, was at once checked by th Court, and order having been restored, discussion between the opposing counsi ensued as to the amount of costs, when hj Worship allowed £l9, recommending tl defendant's counsel to bring an action ft the remainder. Referring to these Extraordinary pr ceedings, the ' Hokitiki Despatch' of tl instant, says:The notorious case Jackson v. Moss b assumed a new phase by Mr Mos one of the defendants in the late actioi having taken out a summons against E Jackson for the amount of £7B, incurrc in counsel's fee, witness's and his ov, expenses.