Malpractice constitutes a real threat to the members of all the healing professions. Doctors of medicine were attacked first and are still the primary targets. In 1937 about 4,000 of them were sued for malpractice in the United States. The plague spread to involve dentists, osteopaths, chiropractors, naturopaths and nurses. Now, even veterinary surgeons are being assailed with malpractice suits with increasing frequency.
Public confidence in the medical professions is seriously affected by the ill will and misunderstanding engendered by these frequently unfounded and sometimes malicious onslaughts against medical practitioners. Past experience teaches that in the event of another period of economic recession it must be anticipated that the number of claims will greatly increase.
No physician is immune to a malpractice suit. Obviously a physician cannot be justly accused of malpractice if he cares for every patient with painstaking attention to the requirements of good practice. However, the exercise