Dryden v Surrey County Council and Stewart    Evidence – Two defendants – Distinct cases – Cross-examination – Medicine – Negligence
of nurses – Professional duty – Liability of hospital.
The defendant S performed a minor operation on the plaintiff in the defendant council’s
hospital. After she had left the hospital the plaintiff complained of pains, and upon
examination by her doctor she was found to be suffering from pyelitis, and a wad of surgical
gauze was found in and removed from her body. The plaintiff brought an action against S for
breach of duty and neglect to remove the plugging after the operation, and against the
defendant council for breach of duty and negligence arising out of a failure to nurse her
properly. The negligence alleged against the council was that the nurses in their hospital had
failed to remove the plugging, had failed to observe or report to the doctor in charge certain
symptoms in the plaintiff’s condition, and had failed to take her temperature on the morning
on which she had left the hospital. At the hearing counsel for S put leading questions to
witnesses for the defendant council:—