the significance of the consultations with Drs. Pellegrin, Olpin and Hodge. The majority speculate that the medical terms used by these doctors might have been meaningless jargon to Thompson and he was unable to understand the seriousness of the conditions from which he suffered or the nature of the proposed medical procedures.
Several of the doctors who had examined Thompson prior to the interview with Dr. Epstein testified that Thompson was informed and appreciated the seriousness of the diseases from which he suffered and the nature of the proposed corrective procedures. Thompson's recognition of the differences between his varicose vein problems and the arteriosclerosis condition which was causing intermittent claudication is evident from statements he made to Dr. Pellegrin. Dr. Pellegrin testified that, in describing the evolution of theintermittent claudication, Thompson had stated that the pain had been present and became progressively worse since he had the vein ligation in 1962. During the course of each examination by Dr. Pellegrin the topic of intermittent claudication was discussed. Dr. Pellegrin testified that he makes it a practice to explain to his patients the meaning and implications of the technical terms which he uses.
The nature and advisability of a chemical sympathectomy was discussed with Thompson on several occasions in consultations with three different doctors. Dr. Pellegrin first considered the operation as a possible treatment to alleviate the intermittent claudication. Dr. Olpin's records indicate that a detailed description of the proposed operation was had with Thompson in which the purpose of the operation and the procedures involved were discussed.