Question

Which case is known as "Snail in the Bottle" case?

• A. Ashby v. White
• B. Donoghue v. Stevenson
• C. Bhim Singh v. State of Jammu and Kashmir
• D. Rylands v. Fletcher

Hint:

"Snail in the Bottle" is a very famous mnemonic for the case of \textit{Donoghue v. Stevenson}. This case is the foundation of the modern law of negligence.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand the context of the question. This question refers to a famous landmark case in the Law of Torts (civil wrongs). The nickname "Snail in the Bottle" comes from the specific facts of the case.

Step 2: Recall the facts of Donoghue v. Stevenson (1932). In this Scottish case, Mrs. Donoghue's friend bought her a bottle of ginger beer. The bottle was opaque, so its contents were not visible. After drinking some of it, Mrs. Donoghue poured the rest out and was shocked to find the decomposed remains of a snail. She fell ill and sued the manufacturer, Mr. Stevenson.

Step 3: Understand the legal significance. Before this case, you could generally only sue someone for negligence if you had a contract with them. Mrs. Donoghue's friend bought the drink, so she had no contract with the manufacturer. The court's decision established that manufacturers owe a "duty of care" to the final consumers of their products. This created the modern concept of negligence and the famous "neighbour principle" in law. Because of its unique facts, it is universally known as the "Snail in the Bottle" case.