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LISTER CENTENARY.
310 be
exercised
in
future
apparatus, and that
no
institute such inquiries and obtain such informatit.41 as he may think requisite before deciding whether to inform the registrar as above or whether to hold as
in the assembling of the further accident of the kind
would be allowed to occur. We have had occasion before to comment on such a catastrophe, and to inquire what would be a safeguard against its occurrence ? The first and best is to test the apparatus each time before use. But since it may be impossible to eliminate completely the human element of risk. a iinal safeguard is to employ fool-proof forms of inhaler, such as those associated with the names of Hewitt, Buxton. and
inquest.
LISTER CENTENARY. !
consisting of representatives of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, the Royal Society of Medicine. the British Medical Association, the universities and other institutions interested. lias been formed to organis A COMMITTEE
Royal Society,
Shipway. THE
REGISTRATION
celebration in London of the centenary of t!tt birth of Lord Lister, which falls on April 5th next. Representatives of learned societies, universities. and medical bodies in Great Britain and delegates from the dominions and principal foreign countries wil be present. The delegates will be received by H.. the King at Buckingham Palace on April The programme, so far arranged, is as follows:April 5th : Reception and short addresses by some of the delegates in the large hall of the British Medical Association.
not seen after death by the certifying not seen alive by him within 14 days of the date of death, the death should be reported to the was
practitioner, and
coroner
by
To this
the
was
Conversazione at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Dinner given by the Merchant Taylors Company, of which Lord Lister was a member. April 6th := Memorial service in Westminster Abbey; address by the Bishop of Birmingharm. Discourses in t6 Robert Barnes Hall of the Royal Society of Medicine, at Lister as Physiologist, Pathologist, and Surgeon, by Sir Charles Sherrington, Prof. W. Bulloch, and Sir Berkeley Moynihan. Conversazione at the rooms of the Royal Society.
registrar.
new
the
a
OF DEATHS.
A REGULATION, dated Dec. 31st, 1926, has been made by the Registrar-General, imposing the following requirements upon registrars of births and deaths :-Where the contents of the medical certificate show that the deceased
-
regulation the following instruction is
appended:In the case of all medical certificates given on the new official form bearing serial numbers with the prefix "Y," the certificate will clearly show whether the deceased was seen after death or not. In the case of a certificate given on the forms previously issued with the prefix " X," or " any older form, the omission of the words " as I am informed from the blank in the relevant portion of the form is to be taken as meaning that the practitioner saw the deceased after death and is thus prepared to certify from his own knowledge that death took place. Butif the registrar has any reason to suspect or believe that the omission was not deliberate, but was due to inadvertence, he should make inquiry of the practitioner in any case where the deceased was not seen alive within 11 days of death.
Berry,
The Secretary of State has recently called the attention of coroners to this regulation in a. circular letter which contains the following observations :--
A public meeting in further celebration of tire centenary is to be held in the McEwan Hall, Edinburgh. at 8 P.M., on Wednesday, July 20th, coinciding with
is based upon the view that responsibility accepted by the registrar for registering the fact and cause of a death on the evidence of a certificate given in the circumstances indicat.ed in the regulations, unless he has previously given the coroner an opportunity, at any rate. of investigation or inquiry. When a certificate of death is referred to the coroner under the uew regulation, two points may arise : (a) what proof is there of the fact of death—i.e., what proof is there that a body is lying within the coroner’s jurisdiction ? ; (b) is the (’((use of death sufficiently established, or is investigation by the coroner required ?
the British Medical Association’s annual meeting. Earl Balfuur will preside, and short addresses will Jx, delivered by Sir William Watson Cheyne. Trof. Tuffier. Prof. Harvey Cushing, and Dr. James Stewart. A museum of Lister relics will be on view in the Upper Library of the Old University. A Lister memorial volume has been prepared. edited bv Dr. Logan Turner, which contains a variety of contributions, including a sketch of Lord Listers )ife, given by his former house surgeon, Sir George Beatson, and a series of short personal reminiscences by many old friends from all parts of the world. Two of Lister’s scientific addresses and a series of letters of general interest are to be incorporated in the book. The sum of £25 and a gold medal will be a,wamM as a prize for the best essay submitted on the subject The Influence of Lister on Surgery," by students and graduates of not more than one year’s standing any medical
The
ought
The Executive Committee consists of Sir James Sir John Rose Bradford (chairman), Sir Juhu Bland-Sutton, Prof. William Bulioch, Sir Watson Cheyne, Dr. H. II. Dale, Mr. R. G. 1-togartli, Sir Berkeley Moynihan, Sir liumptirv Rolleston, Sir Ernest Sir Harold Stiles Rutherford, Sir Charles Sir StClair Thomson, Mr. W. Trotter, Mr. Logan Turner, and Prof. A. Young.
Sherrington.
regulation
not to be
The lirst point can be cleared up in various ways, In some cases the according to circumstances. may consider it desirable or necessary to he has not seen the body, and to request him to see it in order that the doctor may amend his certificate in that respect. If it is able for the original certifier to see the body, coroner, in parts of the country where the schedule made by the local authority enables payment for such a service, may upon sufficient occasion ask another practitioner to see the body and report to the coroner as to the fact of death, and, if necessary. also as to the cause of death. In many cases it may be found upon view by the coroner’s officer, in the course of his inquiries, that the fact of death is painfully obvious. As regards the second point, the necessity for investigation, it is for the coroner to decide whether the circumstances are such as to require investigation bv him, having regard to the duties imposed upon Inm by law. The mere reference of a certificate to the coroner by the registrar does not uf itself set up an obligation to investigate. Such reference is only one of many means by which a coroner may have his attention drawn to a death and to the possibility that action by him may be necessary. It is open to a coroner to decide at once to inform the registrar that in his opinion no inquest is necessary, or to coroner
ask the
doctor why
impractic-
the
school in the British Empire.
( of
NEW POOR-LAW HOSPITAL
IX
SHROPSHIRE.—Last
week
Lady Berwick opened at Berrington, near Shrewsbury. a hospital of 110 beds established by the Atcham Board Guardians in a former workhouse. The buildings have been
remodelled and equipped at a cost of about LL:i.U00 and will be used for private paying patients as well as for Poor-law cases. The alterations provide for eventual extension to 300 beds.
ORTHOPÆDICS
IN
proposed treatment of
WARWICKSHIRE.—It is
to establish in Warwickshire a scheme for Uie crippled children. At present orthopedic treatment** provided by the Coventry and District Crippled Children’s Guild and the Nuneaton clinic, but ouly about a quarter of the county is thus served, though much work of kind is being carried out voluntarily at St. Cross Hospital, Rugby. It is proposed to establish clinics at Warwick, Stratt’ord-on-Avon, Kincton, and perhaps in There are 350 crippled children of school age
( where.
the county
,tbi’ Rugby else-
area.
exercised
in
future
apparatus, and that
no
institute such inquiries and obtain such informatit.41 as he may think requisite before deciding whether to inform the registrar as above or whether to hold as
in the assembling of the further accident of the kind
would be allowed to occur. We have had occasion before to comment on such a catastrophe, and to inquire what would be a safeguard against its occurrence ? The first and best is to test the apparatus each time before use. But since it may be impossible to eliminate completely the human element of risk. a iinal safeguard is to employ fool-proof forms of inhaler, such as those associated with the names of Hewitt, Buxton. and
inquest.
LISTER CENTENARY. !
consisting of representatives of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, the Royal Society of Medicine. the British Medical Association, the universities and other institutions interested. lias been formed to organis A COMMITTEE
Royal Society,
Shipway. THE
REGISTRATION
celebration in London of the centenary of t!tt birth of Lord Lister, which falls on April 5th next. Representatives of learned societies, universities. and medical bodies in Great Britain and delegates from the dominions and principal foreign countries wil be present. The delegates will be received by H.. the King at Buckingham Palace on April The programme, so far arranged, is as follows:April 5th : Reception and short addresses by some of the delegates in the large hall of the British Medical Association.
not seen after death by the certifying not seen alive by him within 14 days of the date of death, the death should be reported to the was
practitioner, and
coroner
by
To this
the
was
Conversazione at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Dinner given by the Merchant Taylors Company, of which Lord Lister was a member. April 6th := Memorial service in Westminster Abbey; address by the Bishop of Birmingharm. Discourses in t6 Robert Barnes Hall of the Royal Society of Medicine, at Lister as Physiologist, Pathologist, and Surgeon, by Sir Charles Sherrington, Prof. W. Bulloch, and Sir Berkeley Moynihan. Conversazione at the rooms of the Royal Society.
registrar.
new
the
a
OF DEATHS.
A REGULATION, dated Dec. 31st, 1926, has been made by the Registrar-General, imposing the following requirements upon registrars of births and deaths :-Where the contents of the medical certificate show that the deceased
-
regulation the following instruction is
appended:In the case of all medical certificates given on the new official form bearing serial numbers with the prefix "Y," the certificate will clearly show whether the deceased was seen after death or not. In the case of a certificate given on the forms previously issued with the prefix " X," or " any older form, the omission of the words " as I am informed from the blank in the relevant portion of the form is to be taken as meaning that the practitioner saw the deceased after death and is thus prepared to certify from his own knowledge that death took place. Butif the registrar has any reason to suspect or believe that the omission was not deliberate, but was due to inadvertence, he should make inquiry of the practitioner in any case where the deceased was not seen alive within 11 days of death.
Berry,
The Secretary of State has recently called the attention of coroners to this regulation in a. circular letter which contains the following observations :--
A public meeting in further celebration of tire centenary is to be held in the McEwan Hall, Edinburgh. at 8 P.M., on Wednesday, July 20th, coinciding with
is based upon the view that responsibility accepted by the registrar for registering the fact and cause of a death on the evidence of a certificate given in the circumstances indicat.ed in the regulations, unless he has previously given the coroner an opportunity, at any rate. of investigation or inquiry. When a certificate of death is referred to the coroner under the uew regulation, two points may arise : (a) what proof is there of the fact of death—i.e., what proof is there that a body is lying within the coroner’s jurisdiction ? ; (b) is the (’((use of death sufficiently established, or is investigation by the coroner required ?
the British Medical Association’s annual meeting. Earl Balfuur will preside, and short addresses will Jx, delivered by Sir William Watson Cheyne. Trof. Tuffier. Prof. Harvey Cushing, and Dr. James Stewart. A museum of Lister relics will be on view in the Upper Library of the Old University. A Lister memorial volume has been prepared. edited bv Dr. Logan Turner, which contains a variety of contributions, including a sketch of Lord Listers )ife, given by his former house surgeon, Sir George Beatson, and a series of short personal reminiscences by many old friends from all parts of the world. Two of Lister’s scientific addresses and a series of letters of general interest are to be incorporated in the book. The sum of £25 and a gold medal will be a,wamM as a prize for the best essay submitted on the subject The Influence of Lister on Surgery," by students and graduates of not more than one year’s standing any medical
The
ought
The Executive Committee consists of Sir James Sir John Rose Bradford (chairman), Sir Juhu Bland-Sutton, Prof. William Bulioch, Sir Watson Cheyne, Dr. H. II. Dale, Mr. R. G. 1-togartli, Sir Berkeley Moynihan, Sir liumptirv Rolleston, Sir Ernest Sir Harold Stiles Rutherford, Sir Charles Sir StClair Thomson, Mr. W. Trotter, Mr. Logan Turner, and Prof. A. Young.
Sherrington.
regulation
not to be
The lirst point can be cleared up in various ways, In some cases the according to circumstances. may consider it desirable or necessary to he has not seen the body, and to request him to see it in order that the doctor may amend his certificate in that respect. If it is able for the original certifier to see the body, coroner, in parts of the country where the schedule made by the local authority enables payment for such a service, may upon sufficient occasion ask another practitioner to see the body and report to the coroner as to the fact of death, and, if necessary. also as to the cause of death. In many cases it may be found upon view by the coroner’s officer, in the course of his inquiries, that the fact of death is painfully obvious. As regards the second point, the necessity for investigation, it is for the coroner to decide whether the circumstances are such as to require investigation bv him, having regard to the duties imposed upon Inm by law. The mere reference of a certificate to the coroner by the registrar does not uf itself set up an obligation to investigate. Such reference is only one of many means by which a coroner may have his attention drawn to a death and to the possibility that action by him may be necessary. It is open to a coroner to decide at once to inform the registrar that in his opinion no inquest is necessary, or to coroner
ask the
doctor why
impractic-
the
school in the British Empire.
( of
NEW POOR-LAW HOSPITAL
IX
SHROPSHIRE.—Last
week
Lady Berwick opened at Berrington, near Shrewsbury. a hospital of 110 beds established by the Atcham Board Guardians in a former workhouse. The buildings have been
remodelled and equipped at a cost of about LL:i.U00 and will be used for private paying patients as well as for Poor-law cases. The alterations provide for eventual extension to 300 beds.
ORTHOPÆDICS
IN
proposed treatment of
WARWICKSHIRE.—It is
to establish in Warwickshire a scheme for Uie crippled children. At present orthopedic treatment** provided by the Coventry and District Crippled Children’s Guild and the Nuneaton clinic, but ouly about a quarter of the county is thus served, though much work of kind is being carried out voluntarily at St. Cross Hospital, Rugby. It is proposed to establish clinics at Warwick, Stratt’ord-on-Avon, Kincton, and perhaps in There are 350 crippled children of school age
( where.
the county
,tbi’ Rugby else-
area.