Medical Etiquette of Physicians

A selection of medicinal spoons from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. One ceramic spoon is labeled “Table, Dessert and Tea” for differing measurements. I’m not exactly sure if doctors ever prescribed a “dessert” sized amount of liquid medicine. I get a chuckle every time I read the spoon. The side of the spoon reads: 
Graduated Medicine Spoon
Registered  March 22, 1873
S. Maw Son & Thompson London.

A Lawsuit is Brought over One 

Physician’s Manners

Mr. Ashurst, a medical man at Pendleton, Lancashire, believing himself to have been treated by a brother practitioner named Anderton, at New Mills, in a manner contrary to professional etiquette, endeavored to relieve his feelings by dispatching to his rival a telegram in the words, “Your conduct is abominable, and I shall not fail to resent it.” This was an attack that Mr. Anderton was not disposed to put up with, for telegrams are necessarily seen by more eyes than one, and a charge of “abominable conduct” is apt to set village tongues wagging. So he called on the libeller for an apology, and this satisfaction not being forth-coming, he brought an action of libel, which was tried at Manchester.

The original quarrel was, it appeared, about a patient who, being dissatisfied with Mr. Ashurst, called in Mr. Anderton, who ought, it was alleged, to have notified the fact to his dismissed predecessor. But Mr. Justice Day declared that he had no sympathy with what he called “violating the right which doctors claim of a monopoly to kill,” and he added, “I know doctors claim a right not to be interfered with, but the public have as much right to change their doctors as they have to change their bakers.” For all that, the judge stigmatized the action as “a most trumpery one,” and the jury, having found a verdict for the plaintiff, with a farthing damages, left each party to pay his own costs. – London News, 1894

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia