Page:Introductory lecture on medical jurisprudence - delivered in the theatre of the Royal Dublin Society, on Saturday, the 16th November, 1839 (IA b21916512).pdf/17

15 evidence are too apparent to be questioned, it must be equally obvious, that the duty of a medical witness is often extremely difficult, and requires very great knowledge, experience, judgment, and discretion; insomuch, indeed, that even able members of the Profession have fallen, in such circumstances, into the most dangerous errors. There is no real security to the public against those errors, except in the intelligence and education of the barrister. If the bar be incapable of estimating aright the weight and value of medical evidence, one or other of two consequences necessarily follows—either this evidence is neglected, and kept altogether out of view, or, if acted upon, it is as likely to damage as to serve the ends of justice.

I have already said, that each of the subjects which I propose to include in this course will require a distinct and separate consideration. I may add, that it will be expedient to enter into each at greater length, and with more detail, than probably you at first sight might consider necessary. Thus, in treating of murder, it will be necessary to consider the various modes in which it may be effected; as, by hanging, strangling, suffocation, shooting, stabbing, poisoning, and, at the same time, the different kinds of sudden death from natural causes, which may be mistaken for the results of violence. And so, in speaking of assaults, we will have not only to attend to the different nature of the injuries inflicted, but also of the different circumstances that alter their character and aggravate their danger; as intemperance, neglect, mismanagement, the supervention of prevalent diseases. The same may be said of abortion, and indeed of almost every subject included in the course.

In treating each of these divisions, I will follow, as far as possible, the same course. Thus having reminded you of the state of the law on the subject, and the evidence required in each case, I will proceed to consider the medical proofs that may be necessary. These I will examine in detail, explain the nature and object of each, and endeavour to enable you to form an estimate of their relative