QUACK. 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 pretence 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, Scotch law. The four years of a minor between his age of twenty-one and twenty-five years, are so called.

2. During this period he is permitted to impeach 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 indenture 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 descended 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. Formerly this word was used instead of surrebutter. 1 Bro. Civ. Law, 469, n.

QUAE EST EADEM, pleading. Which is the same.

2. When the defendant in trespass justifies, that the trespass justified 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 inquiry ought to be made of a doubtful thing. 2 Lill. Ab. 406.