PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1765, 16 October 1879, Page 2

PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE.

A question of professional privilege has been raised by Dr. Townend, based on the action taken by Dr. Coward, coroner, at the inquest held on the body of Samuel S, Baldwin. It appears that Dr. Townend was in attendance on Baldwin after he was discovered in a destitute condition by the police, and was not summoned to the inquiry held into the cause of the man’s death. Dr. Townend wrote to the Charitable Aid Board setting these facts forth, and pointing out that another medical man not connected with the Hospital was called in to perform the post-mortem examination. As Mr Brown pointed out, the Coroner’s Act directs what should be done in such cases. The 21st clause of that measure'provides—- “ That whenever, upon the summoning or holding of any coroner’s inquest touching the death of any person, it shall appear to the coroner that the deceased person was not at, or immediately before his death, attended by any legally qualified medical practitioner, any such coroner may issue a summons for the attendance as a witness of some practitioner as aforesaid in actual practice, who shall reside near to the place where such inquest is held ; but where the deceased person was attended by any such practitioner, the coroner shall issue a summons for his attendance only, or if the deceased was attended by more than one practitioner, the coroner may cause all or any of them to be summoned at his discretion.” The Board resolved to forward the letter of Dr. Townend to the Colonial Secretary, drawing his attention to the matter therein referred to.