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The Departmental Committee on Coroners, which sat in 1909, were also of opinion
that a certificate of death should only be accepted from a medical practitioner, who had
by personal examination satisfied himself as to the fact of death.
There is under the existing law no Statutory obligation upon a medical practitioner
to view the body.
In the course of their investigation, the Departmental Committee on Coroners,
accumulated evidence that indicated that many certificates had been carelessly or even
recklessly given.
The following were the main provisions of the Bill:—
1. The prohibition of registry of deaths without a proper certificate, which
means a Certificate in prescribed form, signed by a practitioner who attended the
deceased during his last illness, or, where there was no such practitioner in
attendance, a certificate in prescribed form, signed by the public certifier of
deaths. In the case of an inquest, there must be, in addition to the Coroner's
certificate, a verification or certificate signed either by the public certifier of
deaths or a registered medical practitioner.
The public certifier of deaths suggested, was a new official to be appointed by the
Board of Guardians, who would be a registered medical practitioner.
2. Deaths to be certified within two days of death instead of five as at
present, and, at the time of notification, information to be given to the Registrar
as to whether the deceased person was, or was not, attended by a registered
medical practitioner. In the former case the name of the practitioner to be
given.
Other Clauses included:—
1. Specification as to the circumstances in which a doctor may be regarded as
being in attendance.
2. Provision for certification by the certifier of deaths when no doctor has
been in attendance.
5. The presence of the certifier of deaths at inquests.
4. The holding of inquests.
5. Provision respecting burial.
6. Registration of "still-births."
7. Powers of the Local Government Board and Registrar-General to make
Regulations.
I am strongly of opinion that the system at present in operation with regard to
the certification of ordinary deaths should be improved, and that certification of stillbirths
should be made compulsory.
UNDERGROUND WORKROOMS BILL, 1914.
The Underground Workrooms Bill, 1914, which was introduced into the House of
Commons in the early part of the year, was a private measure which had as its object
the prohibition of the use of underground workrooms unless certified. It proposed
after the 1st January, 1915, or such date not later than 1st January, 1916, to prohibit
the use of underground workrooms unless such were certified by the District Council
as being suitable for the process or occupation named in the certificate, and unless the
conditions contained in the certificate were complied with.