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THE MEDICAL DEFENCE ASSOCIATION AND THE MEDICAL BILL.
1106
number, the imperfection of the returns is most striking. It is impossible to say how many homicides are here undetected, for human nature must be peculiar in FROM an occasional glance at the weekly returns of tho the slums of Edinburgh and Glasgow if such laxity on the of the authoritiesis not taken advantage of. Noris Registrar-General in Scotland dealing with the deaths in part if it be true that post. the eight principal towns our readers may bo surprised to there promise of improvement mortem exarrrinations are of late decreasing in number notice the large proportion of uncertified deaths constantly on account of stringency on the part of the Exchequer, finding a place there. Weekly returns are, as a rule, less In many counties throughout Scotland this has been dis. heeded than the more important quarterly or yearly tables tinctly felt, and Procurator Fiscals declare that pressure is put them for the purpose of diminishing expenditure in this provided hy authority; but, unfortunately, in tho more upon elaborate of these no mention is made of this serious item, direction. They are, in the case of sudden death, satisfied if a medical man called in only after death declares upon a and hence this question as it affects Scotland has been but casual glance of the body that a particular disease may be the little discussed. The yearly reports take no cognisance of fatal cause. There are numerous instances in which, full evi. this enormous drawback to their nsefu)nc"s, and the dence being laid before a medical man, he may be able Registrar-General is oflicially ignorant on the whole matter. with comparative accuracy to guess the cause of death, We purpose reviewing the subject as it affects the principal and his opinion may be cautiously stated in a report; but towns in Scotland, and our statistics have reference to the this is not the course desired by those whose sole aim is to years 1881-82. Regarding England we do not err far in keep down expenditure, and the merest hint of the probable stating that the average of uncertified deaths is about cause is greedily accepted as a reason for the avoidance alike 3’3 per cent. of the total ; in 1881 only 2’4 per cent. were of or report. The lips of a medical man called uncertified in the twenty large English towns, anti probably in post-mortem after death should be sealed against these incautious these figures are fairly representative when the two areas are statements, used to his own hurt, and he should considered; 90 percent. of the deaths are certified by registered decline to express an opinion unless after carefulaltogether inquiry, medical practitioners, and the remainder are classified under In the usual circumstances here referred a medical man’s to, certificates from the coroner. It is well known that several opinion or guess is of no value whatever, and should further English towns have attained a notoriety in the imperfection be thought necessary, what will be judged as of their returns, and a regular connexion is everywhere evi- his is likely to be exposed. The difference in the ignorance dent between efficiency in the working of the coroner’s office of various towns in the above table is very remark. position and a diminution in the number of uncertified deaths. and it is difficult to understand how, with 7 per cent, of Taken altogether, English registration may now be con- able, uncertified deaths in Aberdeen, Edinburgh should have sidered at least approaching perfection ; and the residuum of over three times that figure. Aberdeen and Dundee stand unaccounted cases is largely made up of deaths occurring in so that a return of their average of post-mortem favourably the hands of midwives, many of these of course unavoidable. with those of Edinburgh and examinations, as Unqualified assistants have sole charge of maAy cases ending Glasgow, would becompared instructive and probably useful; but at fatally, and there is good evidence for believing that many of first sight it appears to arise from a greater activity among these are ultimately accepted on the certificates of the the local law officers, and if that is so it proves how im. managers of these youths. To add to the completeness of perfectly the present law is carried out in the last-named registration in England many schemes have been suggested, places. In the meantime we commend the subject to the but present provisions, faithfully enforced, seem capable of attention of Scottish M.P.’s as worthy of very serious con. even better results than have yet been attained. and may ourselves ere long return to its discussion, sideration, From the following table it will be seen how much remains to be done in Scotland before even the English standard of reliability is reached. From the experience in the south, and knowing the immense distances which in Scotland so THE MEDICAL DEFENCE ASSOCIATION AND often separate doctor and patient, we would infer a worse THE MEDICAL BILL. condition of things in country districts, but of this we UNCERTIFIED DEATHS IN SCOTLAND.
of their
proceedings
have
no means
of
judging :-a
AT
a
meeting of the Council of the Medical Defence Asso.
ciation, held on the 15th inst., the following resolution was proposed by Surgeon-General Gordon, C.B., seconded by Dr. Danford Thomas, and carried unanimously:—"That the members of the Council of the Medical Defence Association, while they foresee that in the practical working of the proposed Medical Act some modifications maybefound necessary, are of opinion that, on the whole, the Bill fairly meets the interests of the public and the present requirements of the pro. fession of medicine. The only point the Council wouldseriously press is that, in order to prevent unnecessary legal complications and definitions in the future, some simple but sufficiently distinctive title ought to be assigned to the licentiates of the
Medical Boards." It was further resolved to senda copy of the above resolution to the Vice-President of the Privy Council. new
__
WILLS OF MEDICAL MEN.
That anything approaching such a condition of matters as is revealed in the above table should exist in a highly educated country is little short of disgraceful, and demands the attention of the Legislature itself. That a fifth of the total number of deaths should be without guarantee as to their cause not only deprives mortality statistics in Scotland of their chief value, but exposes a state of society in which a sad temptation is offered to criminal courses. We fully recognise the fact that the original notice as to the cause of death, if given by the friends, is frequently supplemented by medical
certificates,
and occasionally from post-mortem reports by authorities; but, after all, these cases are allowed for, and there are no available returns from which to judge
order of the
THE will and four codicils of Mr. John Greig, F.R. C.S.E, Inspector General of Hospitals (retired), formerly of Edin. burgh, but late of 30, Imperial-square, Cheltenham, who died on Feb. 27th last, have been proved by Captain Robert Greig, R.A., the nephew, the acting executor, the personal estate exceeding £ 24,000. The testator bequeaths legacies to his brothers, other relatives, and others; and leaves to his wife, Mrs. Jane Greig, £ 1000, and the income of the residue of his property for life. At his wife’s death he gives some further legacies, including E200 each, free of duty, to the Royal Intirmary, the Blind Asylum, Nicolson.street, the Deaf and Dumb Institution, Dr. Guthrie’s Ragged School, and the Association for the Improvement of the Poor, all of Edinburgh ; and the ultimate residue to his two nieces,
number, the imperfection of the returns is most striking. It is impossible to say how many homicides are here undetected, for human nature must be peculiar in FROM an occasional glance at the weekly returns of tho the slums of Edinburgh and Glasgow if such laxity on the of the authoritiesis not taken advantage of. Noris Registrar-General in Scotland dealing with the deaths in part if it be true that post. the eight principal towns our readers may bo surprised to there promise of improvement mortem exarrrinations are of late decreasing in number notice the large proportion of uncertified deaths constantly on account of stringency on the part of the Exchequer, finding a place there. Weekly returns are, as a rule, less In many counties throughout Scotland this has been dis. heeded than the more important quarterly or yearly tables tinctly felt, and Procurator Fiscals declare that pressure is put them for the purpose of diminishing expenditure in this provided hy authority; but, unfortunately, in tho more upon elaborate of these no mention is made of this serious item, direction. They are, in the case of sudden death, satisfied if a medical man called in only after death declares upon a and hence this question as it affects Scotland has been but casual glance of the body that a particular disease may be the little discussed. The yearly reports take no cognisance of fatal cause. There are numerous instances in which, full evi. this enormous drawback to their nsefu)nc"s, and the dence being laid before a medical man, he may be able Registrar-General is oflicially ignorant on the whole matter. with comparative accuracy to guess the cause of death, We purpose reviewing the subject as it affects the principal and his opinion may be cautiously stated in a report; but towns in Scotland, and our statistics have reference to the this is not the course desired by those whose sole aim is to years 1881-82. Regarding England we do not err far in keep down expenditure, and the merest hint of the probable stating that the average of uncertified deaths is about cause is greedily accepted as a reason for the avoidance alike 3’3 per cent. of the total ; in 1881 only 2’4 per cent. were of or report. The lips of a medical man called uncertified in the twenty large English towns, anti probably in post-mortem after death should be sealed against these incautious these figures are fairly representative when the two areas are statements, used to his own hurt, and he should considered; 90 percent. of the deaths are certified by registered decline to express an opinion unless after carefulaltogether inquiry, medical practitioners, and the remainder are classified under In the usual circumstances here referred a medical man’s to, certificates from the coroner. It is well known that several opinion or guess is of no value whatever, and should further English towns have attained a notoriety in the imperfection be thought necessary, what will be judged as of their returns, and a regular connexion is everywhere evi- his is likely to be exposed. The difference in the ignorance dent between efficiency in the working of the coroner’s office of various towns in the above table is very remark. position and a diminution in the number of uncertified deaths. and it is difficult to understand how, with 7 per cent, of Taken altogether, English registration may now be con- able, uncertified deaths in Aberdeen, Edinburgh should have sidered at least approaching perfection ; and the residuum of over three times that figure. Aberdeen and Dundee stand unaccounted cases is largely made up of deaths occurring in so that a return of their average of post-mortem favourably the hands of midwives, many of these of course unavoidable. with those of Edinburgh and examinations, as Unqualified assistants have sole charge of maAy cases ending Glasgow, would becompared instructive and probably useful; but at fatally, and there is good evidence for believing that many of first sight it appears to arise from a greater activity among these are ultimately accepted on the certificates of the the local law officers, and if that is so it proves how im. managers of these youths. To add to the completeness of perfectly the present law is carried out in the last-named registration in England many schemes have been suggested, places. In the meantime we commend the subject to the but present provisions, faithfully enforced, seem capable of attention of Scottish M.P.’s as worthy of very serious con. even better results than have yet been attained. and may ourselves ere long return to its discussion, sideration, From the following table it will be seen how much remains to be done in Scotland before even the English standard of reliability is reached. From the experience in the south, and knowing the immense distances which in Scotland so THE MEDICAL DEFENCE ASSOCIATION AND often separate doctor and patient, we would infer a worse THE MEDICAL BILL. condition of things in country districts, but of this we UNCERTIFIED DEATHS IN SCOTLAND.
of their
proceedings
have
no means
of
judging :-a
AT
a
meeting of the Council of the Medical Defence Asso.
ciation, held on the 15th inst., the following resolution was proposed by Surgeon-General Gordon, C.B., seconded by Dr. Danford Thomas, and carried unanimously:—"That the members of the Council of the Medical Defence Association, while they foresee that in the practical working of the proposed Medical Act some modifications maybefound necessary, are of opinion that, on the whole, the Bill fairly meets the interests of the public and the present requirements of the pro. fession of medicine. The only point the Council wouldseriously press is that, in order to prevent unnecessary legal complications and definitions in the future, some simple but sufficiently distinctive title ought to be assigned to the licentiates of the
Medical Boards." It was further resolved to senda copy of the above resolution to the Vice-President of the Privy Council. new
__
WILLS OF MEDICAL MEN.
That anything approaching such a condition of matters as is revealed in the above table should exist in a highly educated country is little short of disgraceful, and demands the attention of the Legislature itself. That a fifth of the total number of deaths should be without guarantee as to their cause not only deprives mortality statistics in Scotland of their chief value, but exposes a state of society in which a sad temptation is offered to criminal courses. We fully recognise the fact that the original notice as to the cause of death, if given by the friends, is frequently supplemented by medical
certificates,
and occasionally from post-mortem reports by authorities; but, after all, these cases are allowed for, and there are no available returns from which to judge
order of the
THE will and four codicils of Mr. John Greig, F.R. C.S.E, Inspector General of Hospitals (retired), formerly of Edin. burgh, but late of 30, Imperial-square, Cheltenham, who died on Feb. 27th last, have been proved by Captain Robert Greig, R.A., the nephew, the acting executor, the personal estate exceeding £ 24,000. The testator bequeaths legacies to his brothers, other relatives, and others; and leaves to his wife, Mrs. Jane Greig, £ 1000, and the income of the residue of his property for life. At his wife’s death he gives some further legacies, including E200 each, free of duty, to the Royal Intirmary, the Blind Asylum, Nicolson.street, the Deaf and Dumb Institution, Dr. Guthrie’s Ragged School, and the Association for the Improvement of the Poor, all of Edinburgh ; and the ultimate residue to his two nieces,