Silverlock's medical and surgical emergency reference book.

Date:
[1885?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Silverlock's medical and surgical emergency reference book. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/134 (page 14)
    MEDICO-LEGAL NOTES ARRANGED BY M. BAINES, M.D. LoND. Never give a certificate of death unless you saw the patient before death, or unless you knew well the nature of the illness from which he died. In all cases of sudden death, poisonings, suicides, suspicious or accidental death from violence of any kind whatsoever, give notice to the coroner, his summoning officer, or the police. In all cases of suspected death from poisoning, retain any vomited or voided matter, if possible, and also the stomach with its contents, in case of either being required for analysis. In all cases of death from violence or suspected murder, before you move the body note its position, as also all marks, scratches, contusions, &c. on it, and commit such notes to paper at the time of observation. All notes should be taken on the spot or directly after- wards, otherwise they are not available to refresh your memory. Confessions of a dying man to be of value must be purely voluntary, and care should be taken to note the state of mind of the man confessing. Deathbed declarations are only of use when the patient is aware that all hope of recovery is over. Such declarations should be noted, read over to the patient and assented to by him and, if possible, signed in presence of a witness. Never meddle with wills if possible, but circumstances may necessitate your committing to paper the wishes of a dying man. In such a case use the simplest and plainest words and never forget to appoint an executor and residuary legatee, who may be the same person. Such a will should be signed by the testator and tioo witnesses at the same time and in presence of the testator and of each other. The follow- ing short attesting clause may be added in all cases:— Testator signed in our presence, we in Ms ,, her' Such a clause or any to that effect might save after trouble and expense. It is also well to bear in mind that no one nor anyone whose husband or wife takes any benefit under any will should be a witness, as such an act would abso- lutely invalidate the bequest. In all such cases the medical attendant should note the mental state of the testator and be prepared with notes, taken at the time, of the circumstances under which the will was made, in case of after litigation.