Antedating of "Ambulance Chaser"

[Laurence Horn]

At 11:24 AM -0500 2/14/11, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
>ambulance chaser (OED 1897)
>
>1896 _Daily Inter Ocean_ (Chicago) 4 June 4
>(America's Historical Newspapers)  The
>"ambulance chaser" who waits to learn of an
>accident from the newspapers is regarded now as
>a very unenterprising lawyer. -- New York Sun.
>
>Fred Shapiro
>
Amazing.  I hadn't known there were ambulances in
the 19th c., much less lawyers metaphorically
chasing them.  On closer examination, I see that
"ambulances" (< "hôpitals ambulants", 'walking
hospitals') have been so-called in English for
(slightly) over 200 years.  Somehow they managed
without sirens and flashing lights back then.

LH

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