174 Wis. 160 | Wis. | 1921
Although Dr. Berwick testified directly that there was no pus in the discharge coming from Mrs. Zanto’s uterus some eleven days after the birth of the child and in which was found, as he claimed, an overlooked portion of the placenta, yet it is quite apparent from an inspection of the record that through a mistake which could easily arise in the trial of such a lawsuit the court and
From the answers of some of the physicians it was evident that in their judgment the presence or absence of pus, or at least the question as to the variety of pus assumed to be present, were elements of considerable importance in determining the substantial question at issue between the parties, that is, whether the condition of high temperature and chills which Mrs. Zanto had from the fifth day after the delivery was naturally and directly attributable to the remaining of a portion of the placenta in the uterus as claimed by defendant, or to some other cause, as pneumonia, as asserted by plaintiff.
While from the medical standpoint the very general term "pus” may include innocuous as well as noxious varieties of exudations, yet to a body of laymen such as make up the jury, the term as it was used in the questions propounded to the medical experts, taken especially in connection with the testimony as to the strong odor, arising from the discharge, naturally conveys a strong impression that there was existing a substantial putrefaction of something within the uterus and presumably that which was described by Dr. Berwick as being a portion of the placenta and which defendant claimed had been overlooked by plaintiff in his examination of the afterbirth.
By the Court. — Judgment reversed, and cause remanded for a new trial.