General Part, Illustrations. (14)

1. A.’s country house is on fire. A. is away on a journey, and no person authorized to act for him is on the spot. B., C., and D., acting in good faith for the purpose of saving A.’s house, throw water on the fire which puts out the fire, but also damages A.’s furniture and goods. B., C., and D. have not wronged A.

2. Z. is thrown from his horse, and is insensible. A., a surgeon, finds that Z. requires to be trepanned. A., not intending Z.’s death but in good faith for Z.’s benefit, performs the trepan with competent skill before Z. recovers his power of judging for himself. A. has not wronged Z.

3. Z. is carried off by a tiger. A. fires at the tiger, knowing it to be likely that the shot may kill Z., but not intending to kill Z., and in good faith intending Z.’s benefit. A.’s ball gives Z. a mortal wound. A. has not wronged Z.

4. A., a surgeon, sees a child suffer an accident, which is likely to prove fatal unless an operation be immediately performed. There is not time to apply to the child’s guardian. A. performs the operation in spite of the entreaties of the child, intending in good faith to act for the child’s benefit. A. has not wronged the child if the operation is proper in itself, and performed with competent skill.

5. A. is in a house which is on fire with Z., a child. People below hold out a blanket. A. drops the child from the housetop, knowing it to be likely that the fall may hurt the child, but not intending to hurt the child, and intending in good faith the child’s benefit. A. has not wronged Z.

Acts causing slight harm.26. Except in the case of acts which if continued or repeated would tend to establish an adverse claim of right, nothing is a wrong of which under all the circumstances a person of ordinary sense and temper would not complain; but acts which separately would not be wrongs may amount to a wrong by a repetition or combination.