DOCTORS DUTY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 206, 13 June 1936, Page 10

DOCTORS DUTY

DEATH AFTER CRIMINAL ACT. MEDICAL ASSOCIATION’S VIEWS. (Per Press Association.) NVELLINGTON, June 10. A reply to the Ministerial statement referring to the duty of doctors attending cases where death occurs after criminal abort-ion, was made to-day at the conclusion of a meeting of the council of the New Zea-land branch of the British Biedical Association. The reply stated that the association had (lone everything in its power to aid the law in the suppression of this evil. The reply continued: “Members of the association are in general agreement with the coroner, and with the Minister, in regard to the notification of a death in‘ which the doctor has reason to believe was the result of some person‘s criminal act. The association will take means to inform its members that such a course of action is one that should be adopted in these circumstances. This practice would ,then be in. conformity with the rules laid down by the Royal College of Physicians for the guidance of practitioners in these cases. Such a recommendation coming from the association would in future be a guide to the doctor in a situation which is always fraught with great difficulty and responsibility.

“If the Minister decides to set up any form of inquiry he will be altordcd the full support of the profession. “In regard to the position of the Director-General of Health in the matter, members of the association are under no misapprehension. He was merely the channel through which the opinion on the purely legal aspects of the case was transmitted; from the Crown Law Office to the Obstetrical Society.” .