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In the present edition, Volume III., Books I., II., and III. have been almost entirely rewritten, following the same general lines as in the fourth edition. This rewriting has been made necessary by the advances during the past twenty years in so many lines of scientific work, especially in physics, chemistry, entomology, bacteriology, anatomy, pathology, and physiology. A vast quantity of material that we have had to make use of in this book, however, is still far from being placed on a scientific basis. It rests upon the assertions of the men who, in the past, have done the writing. Their ideas, no matter whether based upon accurate observations and careful reasoning or not, have been copied from book to book, and when analyzed show that they are merely the opinion of one man, that has been followed by others, not because it was proved to be true, but because the others knew nothing more accurate. And for that same reason in some instances this present edition, in order to present at least some work. ing basis on which to build, has quoted the widespread statements that have generally been accepted, but the editor has endeavored to show the doubts and the unsatisfactory state of our knowledge by hedging in these statements with "may be," "perhaps," "in some cases," etc. Investigation from a scientific standpoint in medical lines is advancing slowly enough in the lines of disease and treatment which appeal to all the practising physicians, but the parts that are important to the medical jurist advance much more slowly, and in these the Americans, much to our regret, are far behind the French and the Germans.

Two entirely new chapters have been added, one on the effects of electricity, and one on the causes of sudden death. The spelling of the medical terms has been largely in conformity with the choice of the recent lexicographers, although that standard has not been fully adopted by the medical profession. In the references to medical works the abbreviations used are those adopted in the Index Catalogue of the library of the Surgeon General's office.

The chapters on questions distinctively legal have been entirely rewritten and rearranged, and extensive additions have been made.

The work is entirely new; but all of the subjects treated in the fourth edition are here considered, though some of them are under different names, and substantially everything there found is here reproduced with the addition of subsequent decisions. Some matters thought to be medical rather than distinctively legal are to be found in other parts of this work, and some which seemed to belong to the general field of law rather than that of medical jurisprudence are omitted. New chapters on various subjects are here incorporated. Among these are the following chapters: The Right to Practise Medicine, Surgery, etc.; Duty to call a Physician; Relation between Physician and Patient or Employer; Degree of Care and Skill Required; Compensation; Official Employment and Duties. Also an extended consideration of the questions of medical books as evidence, of the privilege of physicians, of injuries to physicians, and of the effect of their acts upon the rights, duties, and liabilities of third persons. The design has been to furnish all the law as to the rights, regulations, duties, and liabilities of physicians and surgeons in all their personal relations, and as to situations arising from their acts.

JANUARY, 1905.

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