Registration of the causes of death : circulars to medical practioners, and to registrars, a statistical nosology, for the use of those who return the causes of death under 6 and 7 Will. IV., c. 86, circular to coroners, and a classification of the causes of violent deaths / General Register Office.

Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Registration of the causes of death : circulars to medical practioners, and to registrars, a statistical nosology, for the use of those who return the causes of death under 6 and 7 Will. IV., c. 86, circular to coroners, and a classification of the causes of violent deaths / General Register Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    (6.) It sometimes happens that the nature of the fatal disease cannot be discovered—even after a post mortem examination of all the organs— and still more frequently in the absence of an examination. In such cases it is better to name one or more of the leading symptoms and peculiar appearances, than to assign a specific cause on imperfect, inadequate evidence. P. M. should be added when the causes of death have been verified by a post mortem inspection. The examples from the certificates received are not all given as spe- cimens of perfect returns of the causes of death, but as illustrations of the manner in which the facts are viewed and stated in the present state of medical knowledge. Note.— In order to be in a position to return the causes of death accu- rately, medical practitioners are earnestly recommended to keep brief memoranda of all the cases which they attend, in the simplest form, such as is given below. The private register of the medical practitioner would at the end of a few years be of incalculable interest to him: he might refer back to it for important information, transmit it to his sons or successors in practice, analyse the results of his experience; and, in conjunction with his brethren all over the country, would ultimately accumulate a vast series of materials, which could not fail to advance medical science. Engaged in the practice of a laborious profession, medical men should not attempt too much at first; all cases should be noticed ; but those facts should be chiefly recorded which are of an unequivocal nature, and that admit of precise statement, and comparison in respect to number, time, weight, and measure. No. Name of Patient, and Residence. Sex. Age (last Birth- day). Profession ; Diseases. Dates of Imporlant Facts in tile Case: and Habits. Primary and Secondary. Date of their Appearance. of the resultin'; Recovery or Death. i* Johu Jones, 7, Drury-lane. M. 7 A day scho- lar ; (faiher a master tailor). Measles ; Pneumonia. March 5 March 12 Patient first seen March 9; the eruptiou of measles then visible; appeared on the 8th ; cough, rust- coloured sputa, crepita- tion, 12th; left lung con- solidated, 14tli; last seen, March 19th; died March 20th. P. mortem: lelt lung hepntizecl; pleura adherent. • The Number will refer to the prescription book for treatment. The importance of instituting post mortem examinations very gene- rally, cannot be too strongly urged. It is impossible to calculate how much suffering and untimely death are occasioned by depriving physi- cians and surgeons of the information derivable from this source. In ordinary cases no attempt is made to preserve the body from corruption, when life is extinct; and the examination by medical men of the state of the internal structure, instead of accelerating decay, may be made, by embalming, a means of preserving the frame from decomposition ; if it were not rather desirable and more in consonance with the best feelings —that the elements—water, air, carbon, and the salts—of which the earthly tenement is composed, should be restored as soon as possible to their free state—to be again re-organised and re-animated.