The New York herald., 1878-09-30
BELIEVES PRACTICES.

A QUARREL OVER THE BODY OF MRS. CATH
ARINE BRowN-REFUsAL OF THE CoEoNERs
OFFICE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THE CASE.
The case of Mrs. Catharne Brown, who died the
Goth inst. at Bellevue Hospital after three months
lingering illness In that institution. has led to the re-
newal OF an old quarrel between the Coroners' office
ana the medical officials OF Bellevue Hospital. It ap
pears that the house ply scians ana their staff have
made rigid rule that any patient who dies in the
hospital whether from natural other causes, must
be made tho subject of autopsy. This has often
led TO serious contentious with the friends Of the de-
ceased According 10 the regulations Of the Board of
Health no burial certificate can be gwen by physi
can. which will be accepted binding, except he
has been in regular attendance the patient Tor
least twent -four hours Should patient die within
that time the rule Is that the should be turned
over to the Coroners' Office. This also holds good In
tho case OF hospitals aud inArmares.
1t has been opeuly charged by the Coroners and
their deputies that the attendant physicians and their
assistants at Bellevue Hospital never diagnose
and issue certificate OF death accordingly. They In
varably make all Deaths whether accidental or nat
ura Coroncrs cases, or failing that they compel
the relatives Of submit defunot patient
to an autopsy AS case In point. that Of Catharino
Brown may be instancsd.
On the 9Th OF June she entored Bellevue Hos.
pital suffering from liver complaint, and remained
there till last Thursday morning, when she
died During her illness she was attended
by Dr. Livingstone, who had frequent oppor-
tunties OF diagnosing her discase 1t therefore
matter OF surprise at the Coroucrs' Office when tho
case thrown into that department Deputy
Coroner Miller, who In charge when Undertaken
O'Nei called to receive burial permit said -"rhis
Office will not be made q police bureau for the detec-
tion Of fugitive for the students Belevu Hos.
pita'. contend that TINS s not legitimate case Tor
faculty OF Bellevue Hospital cannot decide after
treating patient Tor three months what the charac-
ter 0f tho disease IS II Is Illuminating OF
professional ignorance their part. Al all events,
continued the Deputy, "the Coroners' office will
this ana all such cases You can tell Dr. Livingstone
that have said so" concluded Mr.. Miller empnati-
cally.
A TALK WITH THE DEPUTY.
n ~ reiserate al nave saia IN your presence" saa
become abuse The Coroners' office has protested
time and again In just such this /,
Judicial and extra official. or course this system Is
vindicated and pursued In the interest of patholog
ical sctence' but with that SHE OF tho question
have nothing to do 1t Is tho rule OF the Coronsrs
here, that no hospital other case should be re.
ceived by except there sensible and substan-
tial grounds ior doing so"
''But how to convince Dr. Livingstone that
these are your opinionsT' said Undertaken O'Neill
who was still present
''rell him that havc said So" said Dr. Miller
curtly
Undertakcr O'Neill left with this understanding,
but his mind apparently not at rest.
The upshot OF tho whole discussion was that the
body III question-that OF Mrs Catharine Brown-was
delivered TO tho undertaken at q late hour in the
evening, but II was muatcd by the dissecting knife.
MRS. BROWNS HUSBAND.
Mr. John Brown, OF No. 3S Elizabeth street, tho dead
woman's husband, was found narrow basement at
No. 3S Elizabeth street. He Frenchmap and keeps
q coffee and cake saloon. HIS business Tor tho time
bong was suspended, and the room usually u
pied by him as saloon lay the body enclosed In a
plain coffin. He saio :-"My wife became invalid
about four months ago. On the 9th OF Juno be-
came patient Of Bellevue Hospital, suffering from
liver complaint visited her frequently and learned
at the early stages of her treatment from
DR.. Livingstone that her complaint durable. |
took her all the decacies could afford. When
was told OF her death II was q crushing surprise.
called ut the hospital and saw DR.. Livingstone. Ho
refused TO give me burial certificate except con.
sented TO have her body cut open. Wnen objected.
he said What docs matter; II will not hurt you II
you make time about It will keep her body here
but, seeing that he was determined, at last
gave q reluctant consent. l was overcome
with grie and left the hospital in
tears. When the body was brought homo
by Mr.. O'Neill and laid here tho floor suddenly
crimsonod with blood. rough cloth was thrown
over the corpse, but the blood flowed freely that
bad to mop II up In bucket dispose OF It In tho
SINK, as was afraid TO excite comment by throwing
II In the gutter.n
Dr. Livingstone acknowledged that he made tho
autopsy, but pleaded In extenuaton that II par
OF this woman owed something 10 the city aud tho
faculty, and We wanted to verify our diagnosis by
making an autopsy Mr. Brown consented, and IL
was done accordingly. That Is all have 10 say. l
may add however, that ascertained that death
was caused by fatty degeneration OF the liver.n