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{4) Hence we would recommend the College to authorise
the use of the term "epidemic enteritis" (or, if
preferred by the practitioner, "zymotic enteritis")
as a synonym for epidemic diarrhœa (Nomenclature
of Diseases, p. 9, ed. 1896). And we would further
recommend that the College should urge the entire
disuse, as synonyms of epidemic diarrhoea in medical
certificates of death, of such terms as "gastroenteritis,"
"muco-enteritis," or "gastric catarrh."
A letter from the Vestry Clerk of the Parish of Plumstead
with reference to "Coroner's Inquests and Uncertified
Deaths" having been referred to me by your Committee of
Works, I reported as follows:—
I have carefully considered the above letter and also the
Report of the Public Health Control Committee of the
London County Council on Coroner's Inquests, dated 18th
January, 1895, and referring to the Report of the Select
Committee of the House of Commons on Death Certification
made in 1893, and am of opinion that it is desirable that a
Bill on the lines proposed by the Select Committee of 1893
should be introduced into Parliament, and that the four
requirements mentioned in the letter from the Plumstead
Vestry should be put most prominently forward:—
1.—That Medical Practitioners should be required to send
certificates of death to the Registrar instead of handing
them to the representatives of the deceased.
2.—That a Medical Practitioner in attendance should be
required before giving a certificate of death to personally
inspect the body and identify it as the body of
the person he has attended.
In the present state of the law a medical man is not
required to certify to the fact of death.
3.—That certified Medical Practitioners should be appointed
to enquire into all uncertified deaths, make post-mortems
when required, and report to the Coroner.
4.—That in no case should a death be certified without
production of a certificate of the cause of death signed
either by a registered Medical Practitioner or by a
Coroner after satisfactory enquiries by the Medical investigator
or inquest.