196 APPENDIX. 
employed by a witness with a view of impressing the Court 
with some idea of his learning, it wholly fails of its effect. 
Barristers and reporters put down their pens in despair, and 
the time of the Court is wasted until the witness has con- 
descended to translate his ideas into ordinary language. 
Lord Hatherley well observes that “a scientific witness, in 
giving his evidence, should avoid as much as possible the 
use of technical scientific language, if the case is before a 
jury. This is especially desirable when the evidence is 
medical, for really many technical words in medicine seem 
to be invented to cover ignorance. But be this as it may, 
a witness is always suspected of affectation, and the Court 
and jury are but little instructed when a vast amount of 
learned phraseology is poured forth instead of a clear state- 
ment of the witness’s opinion.” 
Medical Opinion is not to be Based on the State- 
ments of Others or Public Rumour, 
In giving evidence of ofznon a medical witness must take 
care not to base it on any statements made by others, or on 
circumstances which may have come to his knowledge by 
public rumour. Again, his evidence should be confined 
only to subjects properly within the range of medical science, 
and on which, as a professional man, he is competent to 
speak. 
Use of Exaggerated Language to be Avoided. 
There is a great tendency among some medical witnesses 
to express their views in the superlative degree. Ifa part is 
simply inflamed, it is frequently described as “ intensely” 
inflamed. One witness may speak of patches of ulceration 
in the intestines, another will describe the same condition an 
“extensive ulceration.” 
THE Enp. 
