The intriguing story of Hawkins and McGee is told in Jorie Roberts, Hawkins Case: A Hair-Raising Experience, 66 Harvard Law Record, No. 6, March 11, 1978.  In 1915, eleven year old George Hawkins burned his hand, leaving a small scar between his thumb and index finger.  After returning from medical service in World War I, Dr. Edward McGee, the family physician and a prominent physician in and around Berlin, New Hampshire, importuned and finally persuaded Hawkins and his family to allow McGee to graft skin from George's thigh to restore Hawkins' hand to "perfect condition."   The doctor appears to have grafted instead from George's chest.  The operation resulted in considerable bleeding, infection, and discomfort, and produced a "post-operation scar [that] covered his thumb and two fingers and was densely covered with hair."  Hawkins was left with a permanently disfigured hand that seems to have changed his life significantly.  Other medical experts claimed that nothing could be done to correct the condition.  Hawkins died in 1958.   McGee's medical practice flourished and McGee served as mayor of Berlin, New Hampshire.  The jury verdict for Hawkins had been $3,000.  Prior to the new trial ordered by the New Hampshire Supreme Court's 1929 decision, Hawkins settled for $1,400 plus attorney's fees. 

     Hawkins v. McGee is the subject of a scene from the 1972 movie "The Paper Chase" in which fictitious Harvard Law School Professor Kingsfield interrogates frightened first year Contracts students.