The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-23
WOULD ABOLISH CORONERS.
COUNTY MEDICAL COMMITTEE
MAKES ITS REPORT.


ooV vNer W Spocsss "eeS"b'
The report Of the special committee
appointed at the last meeting OF the New
York County Medical Society TO consider
the abolition Of the Office OF Coroner was
presented at the society's monthly meeting
last night A heated argument was In
progress when the memberc present voted
10 lay the matter over for u general dis
cussion at a special meeting to be called.
The special committee was made up OF
Drs. William NJ. Polk, John W. Brannan
and Frank Van Fleet. Its report was a.
follows:
Our Investigation leads US TO believe that
the office OF oroner is one whose work could
be better accomplished If the once were
in such a way as to separate it's medical and
judicial duties. We believe vast amount
Of scientific Information Is ost under tho pres;
ent system which, II II could be collected ana
properly preserved, might be made TO serve
valuable PURPOSE
Examiners, as in force in Erie county. this
state, and IN massachusetts,. would. with
certain mod hcations in the method Of APP
the present system In this city.
| We desire to emphasize the statement
that this report Is not intended to reflect IN
OF New York. The system is inadequate
| learn. has fulfilled the duties OF the position
| "a well as could be expected under such .
system.
A motion to accept the report and asking
| for the appointment Of a committee to
confer with the Legislature met with i'm
mediate opposition by ex-Coroner L. X.
| 1uthill
Il am a former Coroner" he said. Il
| am familiar with the character and scope
Of the work. This resolution calls for
radical change. | want to state now that
| there is no department doing, or that ever
| has done, such good work or much good
| for the people ar the Coroner Ia now doing
| and always has done.
"You mus, be very careful how you let
\ yourselves he used az the tools OF dirty,
fractional. venonous politicians; men who
would no, stand up and do what they want
| you to back them up in. 1t Ia not neces-
sary for me to tell the good they have
done how, since Jan. !, they have pre-
vented the blackmailing Of sixty-five ply
| scians. I would like to talk to you an hour
on the subject, and that would not be long
| enough IL IL too late now. This society
| cant afford to do this thing hastily; II is
| too dangerous. | move that II be held
over for further consideration"
| DR.. Harry r. Purdy replied:
| For twenty five yeats, he said. "kepu-
| table gentlemen have tried to have this
| one whom have heard condemn it-comes
| here and cries that il is politics. It's a
| mere money-making concern
DR.. Purdy started in TO read paper
| showing what some cities thought OF the
| Office Of Coroner, but was brought to halt
| by cries that he was out of order-that
the matter II laying the subject on the
table was being discussed, not the subject
| itself.
| Then DIR. A. Y. Reed took a hand in the
discussion. Speaking OF the Coroners'
| Office, he said
| 1T is reeking in politics. When we get
| politics out OF ii it may Ire Of some Use.
1t Is disgrace TO the city"
! He could go no further for the cries OF
sOut Of order!"
| DR.. |. L. Feinberg finally got the floor
and advocated "A postponement OF the
| discussion. He offered a resolution to
| put the matter over to special meeting
| When the question was put there were a
few votes in the negative, voice called
! for a standing vote. The chairman thought
| II unnecessary.
--The house is packed by the Coroners,
said DR.. Purdy.
Before the meeting closed, DR.. Samuel
| Llovd called attention to the water supply
| in the Murray Hill district. Frequently, he
said, il was impossible to get water above
| the parlor floor. He considered the matter
| Of vital importance on account Of the pres
| ence Of typhoid fever in the district. The
matter was referred to the Committee on
| Hygiene.
DR.. Percy Fridenberg brought up the
question OF overcrowded surface and
| elevated cars The Merchants Associa-
| ton he said, had requested the signatures
| of physicians To a petition to he presented
| TO the Mayor. Such petitions, he said, he
| considered OF little value. II would be
better to get "A resolution Of the society
| a. whole. He offered resolution EN-
powering the president to appoint a COM
| mittee To draft resolutions and present them
| to the society for approval. The resolution
was adopted with a rousing Aye