Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-20
pBrECrs OF THE CORONER SYSTEM !

DEFECTS OF THE CORONER SYSTEM.
The New York Society OF Medical
Jurisprudence recently discussed the
law OF that state relating to coroners,
and came to the conclusion that there
is an imperative need of some change
from tho present system, which 1T was
asserted is at the mercy OF ignorance
and personal and political corruption.
The law of New York allows any person
to bo eligible to the Office of coroner,
and very generally, particularly in the
cities, the position is filed by mon
who have not the slightest legal
or medical knowledge. Numerous
instances were cited to the society of
the grossest ignorance on the part OF
coroners, and the deliberations resulted
In the appointment of n commi ttee to
draft law, for submission to the next
legislature, for the better regulation OF
the duties OF coroner.
The 'coroncr's inquest is q very old
institution. It. has existed in most Eng
lish-speaking nations, except Scotland,
for the past thousand years or more,
anu ~ AldC lOO OilO tiuI OSoShOtNt
notifications for centuries. But
the antiquity of the system,
aud the fact that it has undergone
few changes, is not absolute proof OF its
merit. Why the progress of enlighten-
ment has not replaced it generally with
a wiser and better system 1t is not nee
essary to inquire, but certain it is that
10 OF, tn do
away with.it and supply its place with
more sensible and efficient method.
One of the chief faults of the coroners
inquest is that 1T invcrts the natu
raj process or order of inquiry. The
old-timo coroner, often the viii
lage attorney, constable, or real estate
.agent. or possibly o man OF some still
more incongruous occupation, WAS moro
commonly versed in legal than in medi-
cal knowledge. 1t was his DUTY to take
the initiative in all inquiries relative
to the causes of death by violence. or
suspicion OF violence. and then, if nccFs-
sary, to submit the medical question to
n physician. This is quite generally
still the practice, eXcent that very
largely the coroncrs of to-day lack even
the small legal knowledge of those of an
earlier time. The consequence is that
the record OF corcner's inqucsts is
grimly humorous IN its recltals of dense
ignorance and amazing stupidity.
The advancing modern idea is for n
medico-legal inquiry. The object of
this is the detection of crime, and the
points to be sought for are the immodi
ate cause of death and the person or
persons who caused the death. The
first of these questions is of purely
medical character, and in many cases
it can be answered in satisfactory
manner only by a thoroughly edu
Gated medical man. Not only should
he have medical education, but he
should also possess special fitness for
conducting post mortem inquiry. The
second question naturally follows the
first, and the solution of'the first often
leads directly to the solution, at least
in part. of the second, as, for instance.
when it determines whether a man
died by his own act or by the act Of
another. This idea is embodied in the
law of Massachusetts, which has been in
satisfactory operation for twelve years.
That law abolished the office of
coroner, and provided for the appoint
ment Of medical examiners. When u
dead body Is found in the district of one
of these examiners he is notified, and
his duty is to view the body. If he
deem it necessary to make an autopsy
he may do so on authority of the dis
trlct attorney, mayor or selectmen in
the presence of two or more
persons, and if he be of the opinion
that the death was caused by vio-
lence he shall notify the district
attorney or other legal officer who
is required to thereupon prosecute a
legal investigation. This is obviously
a much more intelligent, simple and in
expensive method than that of the coro-
ncr's inquest. and assures far more
satisfactory results.
The important requirement is that a
| dead body shall be first viewed and ex-
| amined by thoroughly educated
medical man, instead of by coroner
and jury who are totally without med
ical Knowledge, and that legal inves-
tigation shall generally depend upon
| tho result OF his inquiry. The system
| has worked most satisfactorily in Mas
sachusetts, and its cardinal principle
can be everywhere observed by elect
ing only thoroughly educated medical
men to tho Office OF coroner. The sub
| ject has present local application.