The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-28
MEDIC0-LEGAL SOCIETY.
The Quarterly Meeting Held Yes
terdav Afternoon,

The Rhode Island Medico-Legal Society
held its quarterly meeting yesterday af-
ternoon, beginning at 4:30 o'clock, i'm the
library room of the Rhode Island Medical
Society. DIR. Barnard of Centredale, the
president of the society, presided over the
meeting The subject, "Some General
Considerations of the Medical Examiner
Law was discussed by Medical Exami-
ner William III. Palmer, who in substance
said:
IL is now about eight years since the
General Assembly of Rhode Island created
the Office of medical examiner and defined
the duties attached. The exact Language
of the chapter relating To the Office OF
medical examiner defines his duties 10
consist in making, on receipt OF a notice,
AN examination OF the bodies OF such
persons only as are supposed TO have come
TO their death by violence" in taking
charge of the same;" in making per-
sonal inquiry into the cause and manner
of their death i'm conducting an autopsy
when the Attorney General or other speci.
fled officer shall authorize the same, ana
IN making a complete report OF the facts
and circumstances, in so far as they tend
TO explain the cause and manner of death.
The wording of this act is in some de-
gree ambiguous, and the conduct of the
medical examiner is governed more or less
by his individual construction of his
duties. In the present paper l have con-
sidered some of these antiquities in the
light of my own experiences in constituting
them.
The condition upon which the medica
examiner is to make the first examination,
that is, the ''view" and personal in
quiry," is the receipt of q notice that the
body of person had been found lying
within his district who is supposed TO
hav IN, IA iC ~ viz
such a person, and To such person only,
is the medical examiner to be called under
the present law. In the cases of sudden
deaths, aud i'm such as have occurred with
out n supposition OF violence, the medical
examiner has neither right nor obligation
to interfere under his present instructions.
What is a death from violence within
the meaning of the statute? In n general
statement, it is one with the causation OF
which, human agency is connected
directly or indirectly, through default of
a reasonable and necessary precaution;
through neglect TO secure protection
against danger known To exist, or TO be in
Cured; through force, mechanical, medi-
cinal, chemical, or toxic excessive and ap-
piled either ignorantly or unconsciously
or under the impulse of excitement with
out premeditation, or with deliberation
and improper purpose.
After inspecting the body the medical
should prepare n report which is thorough
candid, explicit and clear. His report Ii
likely TO have important bearing upon the
future proceedings in the case, and it il
the basis of the statement which he may
be subsequently called upon to make il
court.
There are other points which the medi
| cal examiner will, in his official capacity
he at times called upon 20 decide as, What
is gross or unlawful negligence or wha
constitutes the dead body of "A person!
III there are errors or omissions in tht
law that disable medical examiners in do
ing the prescribed work, then let them b,
| heard before the LeglsIature Tor change
of the law. Otherwise. let them faithful,
and efficiently as they can, with due re
gard to The whole interests of the com
munity in which they live. do the worl
| whereuuto they have been appointed
At the conclusion of the speech the mem
bers adjourned TO Central Hotel, where
banquet was enjoyed.