"Medical Certificate of Cause of Death"

[Robert Fletcher]

Can anyone tell me where the  "Medical Certificate of Cause of Death" would be archived. I have a death certificate that has beautiful clear handwriting but the cause of death cannot be read that makes any sense. I have had archivists and the Royal College of Physicians all tried to decipher it but it makes no sense. It's obvious there was a problem with the registrar trying to read  "Medical Certificate of Cause of Death" so getting this document will make more sense that some medical person would be able to read it.

Robert…

[Milliepede]

Maybe a layman could read it - if you post a copy of the unreadable portion I'm sure people here would love to give it a go

[Robert Fletcher]

Maybe a layman could read it - if you post a copy of the unreadable portion I'm sure people here would love to give it a go

Already done that over a year ago, that's why went to the experts. It still doesn't answer my question of where of these documents usually archived or are they simply destroyed which I doubt.

[majm]

I cannot tell you where a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death would be archived, but I can tell you that the Cause of Death is certified by a medico and the cause/s noted on death certificates issued in many jurisdictions .... for example in New South Wales (Australia) since 1856, civil registrations need to include the Cause of Death, either certified by a Medico or as determined by a Coroner or similar person of authority.   I understand that other former British colonies also include cause of death on their civil registrations ...

Adding

I have seen some of the deciphering efforts from our fellow RChatters on the Decipher board, and their knowledge is often as informed as any medico institution.      and of course with the added advantage of actually being skilled to read the long hand writing from yester year.   

Cheers,  JM

[aghadowey]

Is this the thread?
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=490890

[Robert Fletcher]

Is this the thread?
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=490890

I was just about to post it. I see that it was in 2010 that I actually posted this. None of these guesses actually made proper medical sense that is why I took it to archivists, doctors the register office and finally the Royal College of Physicians. I've also got some medical background myself in nursing. When a person dies a "Medical Certificate of Cause of Death" is written by the doctor certifying the death excepting of course wearing inquest is held. The informant will then take this to the register office who will then complete, "Entry of Death" commonly called a death certificate. Doctors are now notorious at their writing and the registrar in this case has done his best to transcribe the cause of death as written by the doctor. I originally asked the register office where the original "Medical Certificate of Cause of Death" was archive and was told there wasn't one. I have since come into possession of a copy of the, "Medical Certificate of Cause of Death" written for his sister who died two years earlier, (this was held in a convent to which you belong to,) so there was certainly around at that time.

Yes I did go to Rootschat when I first received this certificate and there were some good guesses but it didn't fit in with things medically that's why I took it a lot further which also involve quite a bit of travelling.

It still needs to be answered as to what happens to the "Medical Certificate of Cause of Death" as it is an extremely important document.

[Milliepede]

What year is the certificate from?  Medical terms of yesteryear do not always equate with those of our more advanced knowledge today so something that doesn't make sense today would have done then.  Just a thought. 

[coombs]

I dont know if medical certificates survive for doctors, ie my 3xgreat gran died in Holborn in 1886 and the death was certified by a doctor. I may be wrong but I doubt many of these certificates survive, many were probably disposed of later on.

[stanmapstone]

According to "Instructions to registration officers, 1914 to 1926", the Medical Certificates were retained by the Registrar. http://www.rootschat.com/links/01fwl/
Stan