THE MATTER OF CROSS-EXAMINATION
Counsel. "You said Mr. Metts had had concussion of the brain. Has not every boy who has fallen over back-ward, when skating on the ice, and struck his head, also had what you physicians would call 'concussion of the brain'?"
Doctor. "Yes, sir."
Counsel. "But I understood you to say that this plaintiff had had, in addition, hæmorrhages of the brain. Do you mean to tell us that he could have had hæmorrhages of the brain and be alive to-day?"
Doctor. "They were microscopic hæmorrhages."
Counsel. "That is to say, one would have to take a microscope to find them?"
Doctor. "That is right."
Counsel. "You do not mean us to understand, doctor, that you have not cured him of these microscopic hæmorrhages?"
Doctor. "I have cured him; that is right.
Counsel. "You certainly were competent to set his broken leg or you wouldn't have attempted it; did you get a good union?"
Doctor. "Yes, he has got a good, strong, healthy leg."
Counsel having elicited, by the "smiling method," all the required admissions, suddenly changed his whole bearing toward the witness, and continued pointedly:—
Counsel. "And you said that $2500 would be a fair and reasonable charge for your services. It is three
51
