Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital

Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital (1914) is a landmark case in United States law that established the principle of informed consent in the medical field. The case was decided by the New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state of New York. The opinion of the court was written by Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo, who later became a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital has had a profound impact on medical jurisprudence, particularly in the area of patient rights and medical ethics.

Background

The plaintiff, Mary Schloendorff, was admitted to the New York Hospital in 1908 for the treatment of a stomach disorder. She consented to an examination under ether but explicitly refused any surgical intervention. Despite her refusal, doctors discovered a fibroid tumor during the examination and decided to remove it without obtaining her consent. Schloendorff developed gangrene in one of her arms, a complication from the surgery, which eventually led to the amputation of her arm. She sued the hospital for battery and assault.

Court Decision

The New York Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Schloendorff, establishing that every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with their own body. The court declared that a surgeon who performs an operation without the patient's consent commits an assault, for which they can be held liable in damages. This ruling underscored the importance of patient autonomy and the need for informed consent in medical procedures.

Impact and Legacy

The decision in Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital laid the groundwork for the doctrine of informed consent in the United States. It emphasized the ethical and legal importance of respecting patients' autonomy over their own bodies. The case has been cited in numerous legal and medical ethics discussions and continues to be a cornerstone in the study of medical law.

The principle of informed consent has since been expanded and now encompasses not only the requirement that consent must be obtained before any medical intervention but also that the consent must be based on an understanding of the procedure, its risks, benefits, and alternatives. This principle is now a fundamental part of medical practice and research ethics worldwide.

See Also

• Medical ethics
• Patient rights
• Benjamin N. Cardozo
• Informed consent
• Medical law