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"'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 prima 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.
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 first
instance inquiry should be made by an expert.
INQUESTS.
One hundred and eighty-seven Inquests were held on
parishioners: 133 in the Town sub-district, 32 in Brompton,
and 22 at places beyond the Parish, mostly at public institutions
(hospitals), to which the deceased had been removed for treatment.
Nineteen of these cases belong to the Town sub-district,
and 3 to Brompton. The subjects of inquest were: males 97
and females 90. The ages at death were: under five years 64,
including 47 under one year; between 5 and 60 years 93; at
60 and upwards 30. The cause of death is stated to have been
ascertained by post-mortem examination in 149 cases. Fourteen
of the subjects of inquest were illegitimate infants.
The Deaths from Violence were 67, of which 13 belong
to the Brompton sub-district.