A QUACK DOCTOR.
At the District Court, Melbourne, on 18th May, E. 11. Botrell was charged on summons, at the instance of Edward Usher, a young man who described himself as a writing clerk, with having illegally practised as a doctor of medicine. The summons stated that the defendant did unlawfully pretend to be, and take the title of,' a doctor of medicine, contrary to the provisions of the Medical Practitioners Statute 1865, whereby, and by force of which, he had forfeited a sum of £SO or less. Mr. Wilson, Secretary of the Medical Board of Victoria, gave evidence that Botrell’s name did not appear in the list of duly qualified medical practitioners of Victoria [register put in]. The plaintiff then deposed that he visited Botrell on the sth May, at his place of business, in Spring-street. The plate on the door bore the name of R. Gilbert, surgeon. He thought he saw defendant’s name written on the wall. Defendant told him he was in the second stage of consumption, and gave him a certificate signed “ Dr. Botrell,” stating that he was unfit to attend to his duties. He afterwards consulted three, medical men—L. L. Smith, Crook, and Crossen —who told him he was not suffering from consumption, but on the contrary, he had a good sound chest. Was prescribed a bottle of tonic and a box of pills. Painted his chest with iodine, but witness did not take the medicine. He stated he was in good health at the time of calling on Botrell, and he hail been instigated by his friends to expose the quackery, as they had been similarly imposed upon by the defendant. A- letter was put in, written by defendant in answer to one sent by a Mr. Ormond, in which defendant volunteered to forward some publications, at a price, on receipt of a stamped envelope. It contained spaces to fill up answers to questions as to the state of the patient’s health. A guinea was demanded, but witness only paid 10s. 6d. for a personal visit. For the defence it was submitted that there was no proof that he had called himself a doctor of medicine or a medical practitioner in any way. Mr. Welsh,. for the prosecution, called attention to the fact that the painting of iodine was of itself sufficient to establish the nature of the puqxorted calling of defendant. For the defence a certificate was put in, purporting to bo from a Chicago university. The Bench, after scrutinising the document, fined the defendant £lO, with £3.35. costs. —Notice of appeal was given.
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4468, 15 July 1875, Page 3
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431A QUACK DOCTOR. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4468, 15 July 1875, Page 3
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