Spiegel A D, Suskind P B
College of Medicine, State University of New York, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
Hist Psychiatry. 1997 Dec;8(32):487-500. doi: 10.1177/0957154X9700803203.
During an 1857 trial, the defence claimed that the accused should be absolved of wilful murder because an overdose of chloroform during surgery induced insanity. In a rare appearance as a prosecutor, Abraham Lincoln tried the case for the State of Illinois. Expert medical witnesses testified about the side effects of chloroform and chloroform-induced insanity. Significantly, Lincoln was not knowledgeable about medical jurisprudence and overlooked potential sources of evidence and expert witnesses. Defence lawyers presented an impressive array of physicians to testify about insanity, about chloroform and about the results of an overdosage during anaesthesia. Considering the state of scientific knowledge at the time, the trial was notable.
在1857年的一次审判中，辩方称被告应被免除蓄意谋杀罪，因为手术期间过量使用氯仿导致了精神错乱。亚伯拉罕·林肯作为检察官罕见地出庭，为伊利诺伊州审理此案。医学专家证人就氯仿的副作用以及氯仿导致的精神错乱作证。值得注意的是，林肯并不精通法医学，忽略了潜在的证据来源和专家证人。辩方律师请来了一大批令人印象深刻的医生，就精神错乱、氯仿以及麻醉期间过量使用的后果作证。考虑到当时的科学知识水平，这次审判很值得关注。
