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139
unregistered practitioners, some inquiry should be made, and
probably the fear of inquisition would tend to limit such
practice, which, as a very general rule, cannot be to the public
advantage.
The subject of uncertified deaths has engaged the attention
of the Society of Medical Officers of Health on many occasions,
and some years ago this Society passed the following resolution,
viz.:—
"That all cases of uncertified deaths should be reported by the local
registrar of births and deaths to the coroner, who should, when
there is no primâ facie ground for holding an inquest, direct such
cases to be investigated by a registered medical practitioner."
It had been suggested that the duty of making the proposed
investigation should devolve on the Medical Officer of Health
as a part of his ordinary work, but the Society did not approve
this view, the adoption of which would impose on the Medical
Officer an onerous and responsible duty, seeing that "uncertified"
deaths include all "inquest cases," as well as those described as
"not certified."
Of all the unsatisfactory arrangements connected with uncertified
deaths, it was felt that the least defensible is that
which makes the Coroner's Officer de facto judge, in a doubtful
case, whether an inquest should be held, and the Society, at my
instance, adopted the following resolution bearing on the
subject:—
"That the present system of investigation of deaths referred to a
Coroner, viz., by an officer having no special qualifications for the
discharge of the duty, is unsatisfactory."
It follows as a corollary to this proposition that the firstinstance
inquiry should be made by an expert.
INQUESTS.
One hundred and fifty-eight inquests were held on
parishioners, 119 in the Town sub-district, 21 in Brompton, and
18 at outlying public institutions (hospitals) to which the
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