Mar, 30.
Although the expert in any particular profession receives conventionally both confidence and respect, it is inevitable that the Jayman' should at times be restive and insist on criticism. 'Then, too, the layman, having discovered that expert' opinion: can be diametrically opposed on a given topic, gets Uneasy and is inclined to wonder whether his trust is securely founded. Thi of course, is all very wrong and, in the long run, the expert is bound to win,' for otherwise, clearly, there would be no ground for training experts and assigning to them responsibilities for displaying their skill. Generally, however, lay criticism is to be deprecated. The idea that the running of another man's job is far easier than it would appear from the trouble which the particular incumbent gives to it is natural, but when it comes to forming on actions which in themselves depend on specialised knowledge and highly specialised experience a different situation arises. No profession perhaps has so often to endure the unthinking eriticism of the lay members of the community than the medical profession. This form of distrust ranges. over a wide field. It} shows itself in the good lady in the small village who refuses to believe in the medical skill of! the local practitioner because:
is doubtful about his soundness on some entirely nom medical problem, and in the general belief that by the mere process of changing a medical adviser a patient may attain to restoration of health, These ideas are more foolfsh than harmful, but, there is a good deal of real damage done, especially in the facile expression of opinions regarding surgical operations. Over these accidents to the human const tion all kinds of speculations. arise. Regardless of the fact that trustworthy evidence can only obtained from the experts: who naturally, cannot speak, verdicts are passed in condemnation of surgeons unheard. striking illustration of the! danger of this form of criticism is to be found in the result of a ease in the London courts last month, as reported in another' column, Briefly, a little girl was operated on urgently for Ppendicitis and the.surgeon reported that he had removed her appendix... Four mont later the little girl was taken ill the doctor diagnosed apand another surgeon operated and removed the apbendix. On the basis of this result the -pareats sued the original surgeon in the King Bench" for damages.on a count of his alleged negligence. In support of, their. case th second surgeon was put into the witness-box and testified that
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.