The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1875. VIEWING THE BODY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 106, 4 May 1875, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1875. VIEWING THE BODY.

We recently commented upon tbe barbarous oustom of compelling jurors at a coroner's inquest to view the body, and suggested that no good reason could possible be urged for the retention of a form so repugnant to tbe feelings of those who are at times called upon to perform what is at best a most unpleasant duty. It was therefore with no little satisfaction that we read the following letter recently addressed to the London Times by a " County Coroner," who may certainly be regarded as an authority in such matters. It appears that some months prior to his death Sir Charles Lyell met with an accident, from the effects of which it was alleged, he ultimately died. The coroner insisted upon holding an inquest upon his body, and this gave rise to considerable scandal. But with this at present we have nothing to do, our object being simply to show that we do not stand alone in the opinions we have expressed upon the absurdity of insisting upon a jury summoned to enquire into the cause of death going through the disgusting form of " viewing tbe body." Our viewa are so fully embodied in the letter of the " County Coroner" that we will quote it in extenso without further rematk: Sib— lt is not my intention to discuss the question of scandal on the Coroner's Court

•- ..>v."' ■■ - '"•:■ '■■ \ :■'-' connected With :the inquest held on the late < SirrCharles Lyell on Fridrty la«|,-but I think that it is a favorable opportunity for raising the question whether the view of.the body as now taken at inquests is necessary or in any way conducive to the proper invest'gation into the cause of death. Asa coroner of many years' standing, I express the opinion that it Is an unpleasant, inconvenient, useless, and often obstructive ceremony. The form remains nnd an imaginary value is attached to it, though tho meaning which gave it importance ceases to exist. When the coroner and jurors actually examined the whole of the body, so that «ny hurt might be found, and the length, breadth, and deepness of the wounds made out by them, there was a necessity for the view: but now that this is all done by proxy, if done at all, there no longer exists the primary cause and value. The ■view now taken U a hurried glance at the face of some one supposed to be dead, sometimes through a glass plate in the coffin, occasionally through the window of the house when the coroner suspects infectious disease, and then ths body is identified, the actual fact of death is attested, and the kind and extent of injuries are explained to the jury by sworn witnesses. I ask what reason of any value is there that the sworn evidence ehould not include the meagre information which the view askant or shirked now supplies or fails to give. Let the body be examined external y in every t ase in which an inquest in held, and internally when considered necessary, and the evidence of the examiner given at the inquest, and a great improvement would b 3 effected upon the present unseemly manner of taking the view, which amounts to neither one thing nor the other —neither taking the view nor letting it a one.