CO129-227 - Acting Governor Marsh - 1886 [6] — Page 486

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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