Moritz Low Requisites For Medical Examiner Posts

The nation's 300,000 unexpected or violent deaths every year demand experts for medical examiners, Dr. Alan R. Moritz told 150 student last night at Langdell Hall.

"It's a shame so many coroners are elected they are Republicans or Democrats," Dr. Moritz said. He indicated faulty county office requirements as the cause. "According to law, 60 percent do not even have to be doctors!" he pointed out.

Dr. Moritz is State consultant of medical examiners and also Frances Glessner Lee Professor of Legal Medicine.

"About half of the deaths reported as 'suspicious' are caused by discase," explained Dr. Moritz. The three main groups of disease deaths are those caused by heart disease, usually of the coronary arteries, brain infections, and unrecognized infections. The medical examiner eliminates the possibility of murder in these cases.

Other functions of the medical examiner include deciding whether deaths may be suicides, accidental or deliberate homicides, locating scenes of crimes, and associating persons with the scones of crimes. The examiner's evidence may also eliminate innocent suspects.