Johnson v. Kittleson
Johnson v. Kittleson
Opinion of the Court
In September, 1919, near Galesburg, in Traill coun
At the trial Johnson called two professors of the A. C. One testified that the dope contained 4.6 per cent of phenol which is carbolic acid. The other professor, a veterinarian, testified that it contained 10.4 per cent “cresol compounds.” Neither professor seemed to know much of phenol or its use or the amount of a poisonous dose. Now as we learn from the United States Dispensatory, a poisonous dose is a half ounce and in two hours the poison causes death.
“Creosote is a mixture of phenols and phenol derivatives.” Cresol is used as a surgical disinfectant. It is also a gastro-intestinal anti-spoctic. Dose 2 to 3 minims. Phenol is a locally irritant anesthetic aud mildly caustic in dilute solution of 3 to 4 per cent. It is only mildly irritant but is actually anesthetic and germicidal. Phenol is widely used as a disinfectant not only for sanitary but for surgical purposes. It is frequently used as an antiseptic in gastro-intestinal affections. Dose is 1 to 3 grains.”
Now a cupful of the dope contains about six ounces and as each
Aside from that the testimony of the plaintiff and his wife shows that from the start the pigs exhibited all the marks and symptoms of hog cholera. They all became crooked like a rat with its back up, and huddled together in the pig house, ceased to eat, lost all strength and died within the usual time of death by cholera.
2. But if the dope had been poisonous and had caused the death of the pigs, that would not make defendant liable. He was a common farmer, not a chemist. He was not bound to know or to guarantee the dope. He was only bound to use good faith and honesty the same as if he had owned all the pigs and not merely two sows and a half interest in eleven of the spring pigs. There is no reason for thinking that the defendant acted in bad faith or that he wilfully poisoned his own pigs or those of his neighbor and tenant.
Were there any reasonable chance for plaintiff to prevail on a second trial the opportunity should be given him, but as there is no such chance the judgment is reversed and the action dismissed.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I am unable to agree with the disposition made of this case or the grounds on which the majority members base their decision. This case was one properly triable to a jury. It was so tried. This court reviews only the errors assigned upon the proceedings had in the trial court. N. D. Const. § 86; Thompson v. Cunningham, 6 N. D. 430, 71 N. W. 128; State v. Knudson, 21 N. D. 562, 132 N. W. 149; Erickson v. Wiper, 33 N. D. 193, 225,
In this case there was no motion for a directed verdict and no motion for a new trial and the sufficiency of the evidence was not challenged at all in the trial court. This court has ruled that in such case the sufficiency of the evidence cannot be questioned in this court. See, Horton v. Wright, Barrett & Stilwell Co. 13 N. D. 114, 174 N. W. 67, and authorities cited therein.
I believe, however, that the trial court erred in its instructions to the jury. The court instructed the jury: “There is no direct evidence that they (the hogs) were sick of hog cholera, or were not in a healthy condition> and it is for you to determine whether they died of poison if poison' was administered to them, or whether they died of some other disease.” Error is assigned on this instruction. And in my opinion the assignment is well founded. There was a square conflict in the evidence as to the condition of the hogs.. The plaintiff testified that at the time the defendant brought the medicine, all the hogs belonging to plaintiff, which later died, were well. Defendant on the other hand testified positively that the hogs which later died were all very ill at the time he delivered the medicine to the plaintiff. In my opinion the judgment should be reversed and a' new trial ordered.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.