QUACK¹. One, who, without sufficient knowledge, study or previous preparation, and without the diploma of some college or university, undertakes to practice medicine or surgery, under the pretence² that he possesses secrets in those arts.

2. He is criminally answerable for his unskilful practice, and also, civilly to his patient in certain cases. Vide Mala praxis; Physician.

QUADRANS, civil law. The fourth part of the whole. Hence the heir exquad rante; that is to say, the fourth-part of the whole.

QUADRANT. In angular measures, a quadrant is equal to ninety degrees. Vide Measure.

QUADRIENNIUM UTILE, Scotch³ law. The four years of a minor⁴ between his age of twenty-one and twenty-five years, are so called.

2. During this period he is permitted to impeach⁵ contracts made against his interest previous to his arriving at the age of twenty-one years. Ersk. Prin. B. 1, t. 7, n. 19; 1 Bell's Com. 135, 5th ed.; Ersk. Inst. B. 1, t. 7, s. 35.

QUADRIPARTITE. Having four parts, or divided into four parts; as, this indenture⁶ quadripartite made between A B, of the one part, C D, of the second part, E P, of the third part, and G H, of the fourth part.

QUADROON.A person who is descended⁷ from a white person, and another person who has an equal mixture of the European and African blood. 2 Bailey, 558. Vide Mulatto.

QUADRUPLICATION, pleading. Formerly⁸ this word was used instead of surrebutter. 1 Bro. Civ. Law, 469, n.

QUAE EST EADEM, pleading. Which is the same.

2. When the defendant⁹ in trespass¹⁰ justifies¹¹, that the trespass justified¹² in the plea is the same as that complained of in the declaration; this clause is called quae est eadem. Gould. Pl. c. 3, s. 79, 80.

3. The form is as follows: "which are the same assaullting, heating and ill-treating, the said John, in the said declaration mentioned, and whereof the said John hath above thereof complained against the said James." Vide 1 Saund. 14, 208, n. 2; 2 Id. 5 a, n. 3; Archb. Civ. Pl. 217.

QUAERE, practice. A word frequently used to denote that an inquiry¹³ ought to be made of a doubtful thing. 2 Lill. Ab. 406.