[211] Greenleaf Ev., secs. 249, 252, 252a.
[212] Greenleaf Ev. s. 249.
[213] See Barnes v. Harris, 7 Cush., 576; Hatton v. Robinson, 4 Pick, 422. See also historical review of the attorney’s privilege and the reasons for it, by Judge Seldon, at Special Term, in Rochester City Bank v. Suydam, 5 How. Pr. (N.Y.), 254.
[214] Wilson v. Rastall, 4 Term R., 753.
[215] Best, Prin. of Ev., s. 582.
[216] The revisers of the New York Statutes in 1828 in their report (5 N. Y. Stats. at Large, edited by John W. Edmonds, 2d ed., p. 726) stated as their reason for suggesting a statutory privilege for communications between physician and patient, that “in 4 Term Rep., 580, Buller, J. (to whom no one will attribute a disposition to relax the rules of evidence), said it was ‘much to be lamented’ that the information specified in this section (2 R. S., p. 406, s. 73) was not privileged. Mr. Phillips expressed the same sentiments in his treatise on Evidence, p. 104. The ground on which communications to counsel are privileged is the supposed necessity of a full knowledge of the facts, to advise correctly, and to prepare for the proper defence or prosecution of a suit. But surely the necessity of consulting a medical adviser, when life itself may be in jeopardy, is still stronger. And unless such consultations are privileged, men will be incidentally punished by being obliged to suffer the consequences of injuries without relief from the medical art, and without conviction of any offence. Besides, in such cases, during the struggle between legal duty on the one hand and professional honor on the other, the latter, aided by a strong sense of the injustice and inhumanity of the rule, will in most cases furnish a temptation to the perversion or concealment of truth, too strong for human resistance. In every view that may be taken of the policy, justice or humanity of the rule as it exists, its relaxation seems highly expedient.”
These or similar reasons have prevailed in many States and Territories to bring about a statutory restriction on disclosures.
[217] The following cases show or tend to show that the English rule is in operation in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, and West Virginia: Wilson v. Town of Granby, 47 Conn., 59; Fayette v. Chesterville, 77 Me., 28; Weems v. Weems, 19 Md., 334; Morrissey v. Ingham, 111 Mass., 63; Barber v. Merriam, 11 Allen, 322; Castner v. Sliker, 4 Vr., 95; Steagald v. State, 3 S. W. Rep., 771; Jarrett v. Jarrett, 11 W. Va., 584. For the common-law rule in the States where statutes are now in force, see Campau v. North, 39 Mich., 606; Territory v. Corbett, 3 Mont., 50; Pierson v. People, 79 N. Y., 424; Edington v. Ætna L. I. Co., 77 N. Y., 564; Buffalo Loan Tr. & S. D. Co. v. Knights Templar, etc., 126 N. Y., 450.
[218] Dig. Stats. Ark., 1884, s. 2,862; Code Civ. Pro. Cal., s. 1,881 as amended Law 1893, c. 217; Mills’ Ann. Stats. Col., 1891, secs. 4,824, 4,825; R. S. Ida., 1887, s. 5,958; Myers’ Ann. R. S. Ind., 1888, s. 497; Act of May 2d, 1890, U. S. Stats. at Large, c. 182, making the laws of evidence of Arkansas applicable to Indian Territory; McClain’s Ann. Code Iowa, 1888, s. 4,893; Code Civ. Pro. Kan., s. 323; Gen. Stats. Kan., 1889, s. 4,418; Howell’s Ann. Stats. Mich., 1882, s. 7,516; Kelley’s Gen. Stats. Minn., 1891, s. 5,094; R. S. Mo., 1889, s. 8,925; Comp. Stats. Mont., 1887, s. 650; Code of Civ. Pro. Neb., secs. 333, 334; Bailey & Hammond’s Gen. Stats. Nev., 1885, s. 3,406; Code Civ. Pro. N. Y., secs. 834, 836, as amended by Laws 1893, c. 295; Laws of N. C., Act of 1885, c. 159; Code Civ. Pro. Dak., 1883, s. 499; Smith & Benedict’s R. S. Ohio, 1890, s. 5,241; Stats. of Okl., 1893, s. 4,213; Hill’s Gen. Laws Ore., 1892, secs. 712, 713; Code Civ. Pro. Dak., 1883, s. 499; Code Civ. Pro. Utah, s. 1,156; Comp. Laws of Utah, s. 3,877; 2 Hill’s Ann. Stats. Wash., 1891, s. 1,649: Sanborn & Berryman’s Ann. Stats. Wis., 1889, s. 4,075; R. S. Wyo., 1887. s. 2,589. For the chronological order and the date of the passage of the earlier of these laws, see note to Gartside v. Connecticut Mutual L. I. Co., 76 Mo., 446.
[219] Rev. Stats. U. S., s. 721.