ABSTRACT
A woman was severely injured in a car accident and was rushed to the casualty department of a hospital. The attending doctor decided to administer a blood transfusion. Before he could do so, a nurse discovered a card on the person of the patient. The card stated that the woman was a Jehovah’s Witness and that in no circumstances did she wish to receive a blood transfusion. The doctor elected to proceed in spite of the card, on the strength of his conviction that it was his professional responsibility to administer the transfusion. The woman recovered and sued the doctor, the hospital and a number of nurses alleging negligence and battery. She succeeded at first instance. The doctor appealed.
