The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-06-18
WESTERN IDEAS ABOUT CORONERS
why n PrnctioinE Physician Should Not b.
Chosen Tor that ONCE.

I nm glad to notice that in the East
there is growing disfavor in the public
mind for selecting practicing physician
for the Office of coroner. This matter
should have attracted attention years
ago. Now it gratities me to notice a
finer feeling on the part Of the people |
and awakening OF those sensibilities |
which 90 to make life moro highly
priced and far more enjoyable.
/ had the misfortune ut one time to
be under the medical charge of coroner
who had graduated from Chicago
morgue and practiced medicine along
with his inquest business with tho most
liendish delight. do not know which
he enjoyed best, holding the inquest or
practicing on his patient and getting the
victim ready for the quest.
One day he wrote out prescription
and left it for me to have filled. was
surprised TO find that he had made
mistake and left rough draft OF the
verdict in my own case and list OF
Jurors which he had made in memoran-
dunn, 30 as to be ready for the worst. l
was alarmed, for did not know that l
was in 80 dangerous condition. He had
the advantage of me, for he knew Just
what he was giving me, and how long
human life could be sustained under his
| treatment | did not.
That is why say that the profession
Of medicine should not be allowed to
conflict with tho solemn duties OF the
coroner. They are constantly clashing
aud infringing upon each others terri
tory. No man ought to follow his fellow
down to the mysterious river that de-
fines the boundary between the known
and the unknown, and charge him pro
fessionally till his soul has fled, anc
then charge u per diem to the count.
for prying into his internal economy ant
holding an inquest over the debris @
mortality. | therefore hail this move
ment with joy, and wish to encourage
-. in every way. 1t points toward dc
gree of enlightenment which will be II
strong contrast with the darker anS
more ignorant cpochs of time, when tn
practice of medicine was united with th
profession of the barber, the well digger
the larrer, the veterinarian, or th
Coroner.
q This physician plenipoientiary an
, Coroner extraordinary that ! have re
ierred to. very frequently went to see
g patient with n lung tester under one arr
and the Revised Statutes under tn
Il other. People never knew, when the
=, saw him going to n neighbours house
+ whether the case had yielded to III
10 Curoner's treatment or not. No on
ever knew Just when ovcrtaxed natu
(, would yield to the statutes in sucl ca
+, made and provided. When the jury W
1T impaneled, however, we always knC
+, that the medical treatment had been su
in cessfully fatal. -,
20 Onco he charged the county with
inquest he felt sure Of bnt i'll the mig
n the patient got dclirious, cluded !
. nurse, the physician and Coroner, NJ
D, fled to the foot hills, where he was TAXI
" care of and finally recovered. The g
MI periences of some of the patients WI
nd escaped from this man read more Ii
,ho fiction than fact. One man revlv
lsy during the inquest, knocked the iorem
of the jury through the window, kick
Ia, the Coroner in the stomach, fed h
20, n bottle of violet ink, aud, with shrl
nm. M of laughter, fled. He is now traveli
IAN under an assumed name with ma
moth circus, feeding his bald head TO
African lion twice day at goa week
found. Bill. NYr