FAKE DOCTOR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 659, 11 October 1933, Page 3

FAKE DOCTOR

COUNTRY GARDENER'S IMPUDENT POSE. OPERATION PERFORMED. London, Sept. 20. . Equipped with a stethoscope and any amount of "nerve," Robert William Dodds became dissatisfied with his calling' as a gardener and left Brunton Mill Farm, Kenton, to invade the realms of medicine. During his pose as a doctor he performed an operation on a baby, and made all arrangements to operate upon an elderly man. jEe gave his name as "Doctor Wallace" the son of Professor Wallace, of Harley Street and told his story so well that he deceived a chemist, and passed himself off as locum-tenens for a local doctor. These facts were mentioned in court at Newcastle when Dodds was charged with having obtained food, clothing and money to the value of £8/10/- from George Carrol, a shop manager, of Gosforth. The Needle. Dodds wallced into the shop where Mr. Carrol was serving and presented r. prescription, signed in the name of "Di\ Wilcox," for a stomach powder. He said he was acting as locumtenens for Dr .Kopelwitz. During a chat he told Mr. Carrol that he was staying at the County Hp tel, Newcastle. Later on they became friendly, and the bogus doctor was invited to stay at the home of Mr. Carrol. When there he examined Mr. Carrol's 18months old baby, and said an operation of a minor nature would have to be performed. Mr. Carrol went with him to the Newcastle Infirmary and Dodds asked his host to wait outside. He entered the building and eame out with what he said was the special needle necessary for the operation on the baby. "At home," said Mr. Carrol, "he asked me to sterilise the needle and get some bandages, lint and iodine, saying that the needle would have to remain in the child for 38 seconds." Later Mr. Carrol examined the child and found a needle prick on the right side of the stomach. £120,000 Story. "Dodds stayed until June 28," continued Mr. Carrol, " and then said he would have to go to Edinburgh for an examination. He asked my wife what he should wear and I gave him a shirt, scarf, collar, tie, shoes and cufflinks, and he also had £1 which he said was for his nurse at Winchester. "He said his father had died and left him £120,000, and that his home was The Tudors, Winchester. Later I became suspicious and informed Detective Eckford." Detective Eckford found Dodds in a bar in Bigg Market. He then admitted he was not a doctor, but a gardener, and said : "I suppose IT1 get time for this." He had stayed at the best hotels, posing as a man of means. He had sent himself telegrams and letters in the name of "Dr. Wallace." He had posed as an oil engineer, and had had lunch with a doctor, borrowing half-a-crown before he went "to his bungalow on the Tweed." Tale of Robbery. He made the acqqaintance of a retired gentleman, gave him powders as "Dr. Wallace," and said he had arranged fop an operation in conjunction with Dr. Turner. During the race week he had associated with women, and later complained of being attacked and robbed. There was no truth in that story and later he admitted it was a lie. Dodds' father said his son was a romancer and had told him some' extraordinary tales. Dodds took the case calmly, and when he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment appeared to think he had g*t off lightly.