Doctors are, on the whole, trusted members of society, and members of the profession, on the whole, have always had the well-being of people as their main priority.

But, every so often, medical men have been known to turn bad, and their actions can result in injury or even death.

I previously covered the murder of Miss Wright in Bethnal Green in 1920, and there are even doctors who have become suspected of being the perpetrator of the Whitechapel Jack the Ripper atrocities in 1888.

But there have also been occasions when doctors have committed murder because they themselves have been suffering from forms of mental illness.

Such a case was reported by The Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser in its edition of Wednesday the 23rd of April, 1890:-

MURDER BY A DOCTOR

A man who gave his name as Dr. Milner, aged 31, of King’s Road, Upper Norwood, was on Saturday remanded at Aldershot Police Court on a charge of having murdered a man named Rouse, head keeper to Sir Philip Currie, of Minley Manor, Farnborough.

The accused was taken for a burglar by the deceased, and a gardener, whose suspicions had been aroused earlier in the day, and while they were following him in the Main Road, Blackwater, late on Friday night, the man turned suddenly round and twice shot Rouse.

Milner immediately went to an hotel near, saying that he had been attacked by two men, and that he was afraid he had shot one.

The police took him into custody, and Rouse, who leaves a widow and eight children, identified the man as his assailant, dying a few minutes afterwards.

A STRANGER IN THE LOCALITY

Milner became very violent whilst being taken to the police Court, crying out, “Ted, come and help; if you don’t good-bye.”

He is quite a stranger in the locality.

It has since been ascertained that the name and address given by the deceased were correct.

HAD SHOWN SIGNS OF INSANITY

Dr. Milner was well known in Norwood, but since August last he has shown signs of insanity, and caused great anxiety to his friends.

Medical men have hesitated to order his confinement, and he has on one or two occasions escaped from his keeper.

THE CHASE TO READING

Only a few days ago he quitted London early in the morning, and was afterwards heard of at Reading.

Some relatives at once started in pursuit, but failed to discover him.

HE THOUGHT HE WAS BEING FOLLOWED

The police were communicated with in various directions without avail, and nothing more was heard of the missing doctor until the report of the shooting appeared.

It was a fixed delusion with Dr. Milner that he was being pursued by the members of a secret society, and there is little doubt that this led to the painful fatality.

THE CHARGE AGAINST DR. MILNER

The Sydenham, Forest Hill and Penge Gazette updated readers about Dr. Milner’s appearance in court in its edition of Saturday the 3rd of May 1890:-

At the Aldershot Police court, on Monday. Dr. Samuel George Milner, 31, of Upper Norwood, was charged, on remand, with causing the death of William Rouse, a gamekeeper, at Blackwater, near Farnborough, on April 18.

The public Interest in the case had in no way subsided, and large crowds assembled in the vicinity of the court.

HE SMILED IN THE DOCK

Mr. C. Matthews now appeared for the accused, who, when placed in the dock, smiled in recognition of his relatives, who were sitting with counsel, and listened attentively while the depositions were read over.

THOMAS KNIGHT’S EVIDENCE

Thomas Knight, who was with Rouse when the shots were fired, stated in cross-examination that the deceased held a match match so as to throw a light on the prisoner’s face, and said, “I know you.”

Witness and the deceased carried sticks, and they and Rouse’s son went out for the purpose of detaining the prisoner.

Witness denied having struck at the prisoner, but admitted that he might have said so before the Coroner.

NO OFFENCE HAD BEEN COMMITTED

Mr. Matthews said he did not intend to call any witnesses for the defence.

He submitted that considering the provocation the prisoner had received, he had committed no criminal offence by firing in his dire necessity.

Dr. Milner was committed for trial on the charge of manslaughter.