Instructions concerning the registration of births, marriages and deaths in Massachusetts : designed for town clerks and physicians / by Oliver Warner.

  • Warner, Oliver, 1818-1885.
Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Instructions concerning the registration of births, marriages and deaths in Massachusetts : designed for town clerks and physicians / by Oliver Warner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    Instructions^ Sfc.^ to Physicians.. INSTKUCTIONS. Duty of the Secretary. On inspection of the Statutes, it will be seen that it is the duty of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, not only to furnish suit- able blank books and forms, accompanied with needful instruc- tions and explanations; and to properly care for, discuss and report upon the returns; but also, to enforce the provisions of the law by prosecuting for all penalties and forfeitures imposed therein ; and, in fine, to do all other acts necessary to carry into effect its provisions. Blank forms of Returns and Certificates, are furnished to Town Clerks, on application to the Secretary's o£8ce by letter or in person. Copies of the present Instructions will be sent to any Town Clerk who may request the same; or to any Physician who may apply by mail. Duties of the Physician in regard to Deaths. Any practising member of any branch of the medical profession, who may have attended a person during his last illness, is bound— if applied to within fifteen days after the decease of such person,— fortliwith, to furnish for registration a certificate of the duration of the last sickness, the disease of which the person died, and the date of the decease, as nearly as he can state the same. Penalty, for non-compliance,—ten dollars. Suggestions to Physicians. Upon the Undertaker or other person having charge of the funeral rites, will usually devolve the duty of applying to the Physician for such certificate, in order to communicate the facts therein contained to the Town Clerk; and such application will commonly be made within twenty-four hours after the death. To secure the fullest efficacy to the provisions of the law, it is earnestly recommended, that the Medical Practitioner, who may