Hall v. College of Physicians & Surgeons

149 N.E. 675, 254 Mass. 95, 1925 Mass. LEXIS 1341
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court·Decided November 25, 1925·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

Braley, J.

The action is in tort in two counts to recover damages for the conscious suffering and death of the plaintiff’s intestate, alleged to have been caused by negligent medical care and treatment of the defendant’s servants and agents while she was a patient, or by the negligent administration of certain drugs and medicines.

[97] The jury on May 5, 1922, returned a verdict for the plaintiff on each count, and the case is before us on the report of the presiding judge from which it appears that at the close of the evidence the motion for a directed verdict was denied, subject to the defendant’s exceptions, and at its request an order, subject to the plaintiff’s exception, was entered on September 23,1922, “that the action be reported . . . upon the question of whether or not the defendant corporation was a charitable institution within the intent of the law.” The docket entries show that the draft report was not filed until October 22, 1923, and, the plaintiff’s motion to dismiss the report having been denied on May 18, 1924, the report as finally settled was filed on February 25, 1925. It is urged by the plaintiff that this court is without jurisdiction, and that the report should be dismissed. But no judgment had been entered as in Brown v. Grow, 249 Mass. 495, and much of the delay apparently arose from the plaintiff’s motions to extend the time for filing exceptions to the order, which were finally dismissed under a rule of the trial court on December 29,1923, and by her motions thereafter for judgment, and to dismiss the draft report. It was discretionary with the judge whether he would report the case, and we cannot say as matter of law on the record, that there has been unreasonable delay in the extensions of time for filing the report which were necessary because the judge “was incapacitated from acting as a judge.” Lee v. Blodget, 214 Mass. 374, 378. Leland v. Union Commercial Travellers Association, 233 Mass. 558. Barnard Manuf. Co. v. Eugen C. Andres Co. 234 Mass. 148, 152. G. L. c. 231, § 111. The facts in the case at bar are distinguishable from Porter v. Boston Storage Warehouse Co. 238 Mass. 298.

The report being properly before us, the remaining question is, whether as matter of law the defendant corporation was a public charity. It was organized under St. 1874, c. 375, as amended by St. 1875, c. 49. “An Act concerning .associations for religious, charitable, educational and other purposes.” The charter, dated November 10, 1880, states that the corporation is formed, “for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a college for the prosecution and [98] promotion of educational, scientific and medical purposes.” And by St. 1883, c. 153, the defendant was authorized and empowered to confer the degree of doctor of medicine, “provided, that no degree shall be conferred without the consent of three-fourths of the members of its faculty, and a majority of its trustees.”'

The charter, however, did not of itself make the defendant a public charity. The controlling purpose must be for the common and public benefit, and if it was created by the incorporators, or thereafter was administered and maintained by their successors for money making, this essential element is lacking even if it may at times have expended money for purposes, or rendered gratuitous services which in common speech are called charitable. The defendant still would be acting within its charter powers if it charged every student in full for tuition, and clinical patients for medical care and treatment. Donnelly v. Boston Catholic Cemetery Association, 146 Mass. 163. Stratton v. Physio-Medical College, 149 Mass. 505, 507. Richardson v. Essex Institute, 208 Mass. 311.

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Hall v. College of Physicians & Surgeons, 149 N.E. 675, 254 Mass. 95, 1925 Mass. LEXIS 1341 (Mass. 1925).

149 N.E. 675 (Hall v. College of Physicians & Surgeons) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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