LIABILITIES 11 
call it is presumed that the physician has agreed 
to render such service as may be needed in a rea- 
sonable care of the case. Unless there is an agree- 
ment to the contrary, it depends then upon the 
practitioner to determine when, how often, and 
how long continued, he shall call upon the patient. 
In determining whether a patient has sufficiently 
recovered to require no further medical or surgical 
attention, a physician is required to exercise rea- 
sonable and ordinary care and skill, and to have 
regard to, and take into account, the well settled 
rules and principles of medical and surgical sci- 
ence.* It is not, however, to be presumed that 
having assumed the care of a case either that the 
practitioner cannot surrender it, or that the re- 
sponsible party may not discharge the medical 
man; however, in either case it is presumed that 
due and timely notice will be given.’ If a physi- 
cian, or a veterinarian, desires to discharge him- 
self from a case in which he is serving, his notice 
should be given in sufficient time so that the serv- 
ices of another may be secured. Reasonable notice, 
then, would be very different according to cir- 
cumstances. ‘‘A physician who undertakes the 
treatment of a patient is bound to exercise not 
only the skill required, but also care and attention 
in attending his patient until he notifies the patient 
that his professional relations are terminated. 
* * * And when a physician is employed to 
3Barbour v. Martin, 62 Me. RB. A. 627, 38 Am. St. R. 17. 
536; Becker v. Janiski, 27 4 Mucci v. Houghton, 89 Iowa 
Abb. N. C. 45, 15 N. Y. Sup. 608, 57 N. W. 305. 
675; Ebner v. Mackey, 186 Ill. 5 Lathrope v. Flood, 63 Pace. 
297; Lawson v. Conaway, 37 1007, 135 Cal. 458, 67 Pac. 683. 
W. Va. 159, 16 S. E. 564, 18 L. 
