Judge consults work of 19th century philiosopher in Jehovah’s Witness case

A High Court judge in England sought guidance from a 19th century English philosopher as he tried to decide whether a doctor could lawfully refuse to administer a blood transfusion to a mentally-ill sex offender who has adopted the Jehovah’s Witness faith.

Mr Justice Mostyn, who concluded that a doctor could lawfully decide not to administer a transfusion under the terms of mental health legislation, told lawyers at a hearing in the Court of Protection that he had recently been reading the work of John Stuart Mill.