Register of Deaths Reported to the Melbourne Coroner

Full description

Series summarises information relating to Coronial Investigations conducted by the Melbourne Coroner's Court regarding deaths in the Melbourne metropolitan area; and since July 1986, the State Coroner's Office into all reportable deaths for the entire state as specified in the Coroner's Act 1985. Entries in these registers are made from documents found in VPRS 10010 Body Cards.

Entries are made in case number order and detail two functions:
- the receipt and disposal of the body at the Flinders Street Mortuary; and
- the actual coronial investigation.

Information detailed regarding the receipt and disposal of the body includes the case number, name of deceased, the name of the undertaker and dates of conveying and retrieving the body, the method of disposal (i.e. cremation or burial) and date of Notice to Bury if issued by the Coroner.

Coronial investigation information includes an indication of whether the Coroner inspected the body or ordered a post mortem, date of port mortem and name of conducting pathologist, date of receipt of police report of death, medical cause of death and a brief summary of the pathologist (i.e. post mortem) report. Indications also determine the type of associated tests conducted such as virus culture and blood alcohol reports. (In case of blood alcohol reports the reading is also noted.) Entries also include the dates of investigation completion, any inquests held, issue of notice of death by natural causes, death registration and forwarding of inquest deposition files to the Office of the Registrar General for filing.