Crime and Death Cetifieates.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1923, Page 4

Crime and Death Cetifieates.

SIR wru.r.'M WILLCOX ox A LAX SYSTEM. LONDON, Nov 1. Sir William Wilkox, the poison expert anil medical adviser to the Homo Office. Ofl<lressinj4 a meet of cremation authorities at the GinldhalL T*..C yesterday, criticised the present system of "routine; death certificates as an insufficient safeguard against cases of murder hy poisoning. The statement was made in connection with a diciission as to wliether cremation helped to conceal crimes of this character. At present, said Sir William, the system of grantin'/ death certificates was an extremely lax one They were sometimes filled up in a casual manner and before the doctor had satisfied himself as to the fact of death. There were numerous instances in which certificates were granted before the persons were dead. The Chairman (Sir Malcolm Morris): T know of a case where n man sent for his own death certificate. Sir William claimed that the records of notable crimes, which would not have been discovered but for some fact brought to light after burial, illustrated the. weakness of the death certificate system. Tf it were revised there would not be so many exhumations as at present and concealment of crime would be impossible. Medical practitioners should not fill in certificates without an examination of the body, and in each case there should be a consultation with other doctors. It was obvious that cremation would remove all traces of such poisons as arsenic, hvdoscine, or strychnine. but the possibility of concealment of crime was largely guarded against by the formalities that” bad to be observed before cremation could take place. Two death certificates had' to be given, one by an ordinary practitioner and by one bv n specialist. ARMSTRONG CASK Sir Malcolm Morris: What would have happened in the Armstrong case if he bail wanted to cremate his wife's body ? Sir William said be believed the body would have been examined by an export and it would have been difficult to get from him the second death certificate. Sir Malcolm Morris said a closer investigation of the cause of death should be made before a body was cremated.