484
really required
the case
of the
Ihmisi Lau tai, upon whom
an
inquest
was
opened on
Wednesday last, 16th instant.
On that occasion I was suffering
from diarrhoea, and unable to enter the dead house. I wrote
to Dr. Wodehouse informing him
of this, and told him at the
same time that, to prevent
any inconvenience, I had asked
my brother Dr. A. I. Wharry,
an experienced medical jurist to make the required post-mortem
examination.
My recent official instructions directed
that only in exceptional circumstances
should I delegate post-mortem examinations to Dr. Marques, and these instructions I have adhered to. I have only requested
Dr. Marques to examine dead bodies when I have had important
cases at the Hospital (amputations, etc.) to whom infection and blood poisoning might have been conveyed from the post-mortem room, or else where I have been fully occupied with duties from which Dr. Marques could not relieve me and to which he himself happened at the time to be perfectly idle.
I may add that it is a
great convenience to the Coroner to have the medical reports on
dead bodies as soon
as possible,
and if Dr. Marques were
allowed to assist in examining
dead bodies the reports could not reach the Coroner till much
later than at present, for the post-mortem work could be
undertaken