Morrison and Others v Forsyth

(1995) 6 Med LR 06

COURT OF SESSION

and Lord CLYDE

Professional liability — General practitioner — Duty to visit patient — Patient with sore throat, virtually unable to speak, with difficulty in swallowing and breathing — Doctor's reception telephoned by neighbour — Whether message passed on to doctor — Patient's death due to obstruction of larynx caused by acute synergetic gangrene — Deceased not a patient of doctor's practice — Whether doctor negligent in failing to visit patient and to ask sufficient questions to elicit deceased's symptoms