MEASURE OF DAMAGES, prac. Those principles or rules of law which control a jury in adjusting or proportioning the damages, in certain cases. 1 Bouv. Inst. n. 636.

MEAN. This word is sometimes used for mesne. (q. v.)

MEASON-DUE. A corruption¹ of Maison de Dieu. (q. v.)

MEDIATE², POWERS. Those incident to primary powers, given by a principal to Iiis agent. For example, the general authority given to collect, receive and pay debts due by or to the principal is a primary power. In order to accomplish this it is frequently required to settle accounts, adjust disputed claims, resist those which are unjust, and answer and defend suits; these subordinate powers are sometimes called mediate powers. Story, Ag. 58. See Primary powers, and 1 Camp. R. 43, note 4 Camp. R. 163; 6 S. & R. 149.

MEDIATION³. The act of some mutual⁴ friend of two contending parties, who brings them to agree, compromise or settle their disputes. Vattel, Droit des Gens, liv. 2, eh. 18, 328.

MEDIATOR⁶. One who interposes between two contending parties, with their consent, for the purpose of assisting them in settling their differences. Sometimes this term is applied⁷ to an officer who is appointed by a sovereign nation to promote the settlement of disputes between two other nations. Vide Minister; Mediator.

MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE. That science which applies the principles and practice of the different branches of medicine to the elucidation⁸ of doubtful questions in courts of justice. By some authors, it is used in a more extensive sense and also comprehends Medical Police, or those medical precepts⁹ which may prove useful to the legislature or the magistracy. Some authors, instead of using the phrase medical jurisprudence, employ, to convey the same idea, those of legal medicine, forensic¹⁰ medicine, or, as the Germans have it, state medicine.

2. The best American writers on this subject are Doctors T. R. Beck and J. B. Beck, Elements of Medical Jurisprudence; Doctor Thomas Cooper; Doctor James S. Stringham, who was the first individual to deliver a course of lectures on medical jurisprudence, in this country; Doctor Charles Caldwell. Among the British writers may be enumerated¹¹ Doctor John Gordon Smith; Doctor Male; Doctor Paris and Mr. Fonblanque, who published a joint¹² work; Mr. Chitty, and Dr. Ryan. The French writers are numerous; Briand, Biessy, Esquirol, Georget, Falret, Trebuchet, Mare¹³, and others, have written treatises¹⁴ or published papers on this subject; the learned Fodere published a work entitled "Les Lois eclairees par⁵ les sciences physiques ou TraitÇ de MÇdÇcine LÇgale et d'hygiÇne publique;" the "Annale d'hygiÇne et de MÇdÇcine Legale," is one of the most valued works on this subject. Among the Germans may be found Rose's Manual on Medico Legal Dissection¹⁵; Metzger's Principles of Legal Medicine, and others. The reader is referred for a list of authors and their works on Medical Jurisprudence, to Dupin, Profession d'Avocat, tom. ii., p. 343, art. 1617 to 1636, bis. For a history of the rise and progress of Medical Jurisprudence, see Traill, Med. Jur. 13.