It would be necessary also to notify the coroner if the death took place under circumstances which, to the medical attendant, appeared suspicious, such as might arise from culpable neglect or cruelty on the part of persons in charge of the deceased. The same would apply to cases in which the cause of death was unknown. A great responsibility rests on the medical practitioner, in that he is compelled under a penalty to certify as to the cause of death; while if he do so without due consideration, or carelessly, he renders himself liable to censure or legal proceedings. It may happen that in certain cases--for example, where an accident befell the deceased during the course of a lingering illness, and which in itself had no causal relations to the death--the doctor may be prone to certify the death as from the illness alone, taking no note of the accident; and pressure may be brought to bear upon him by the relations of the deceased to so certify and save them the trouble and publicity of an inquest. It should be remembered, however, that although the certificate be accepted by the registrar, and interment take place, the coroner, if informed of the matter, may order the body to be exhumed for the purposes of inquest. There are coroners who, on receipt of information of death from uncertain causes, may elect, on evidence obtained apart from the medical practitioner, to notify the registrar authorising the interment without holding an inquest. The law, however, states that, “except upon holding an inquest, no order, warrant, or other document for the burial of the body shall be given by the coroner” (50 and 51 Vict.). The Coroners Act (50 and 51 Vict.) provides that, when a coroner is informed that the dead body is lying within his jurisdiction, and there is reasonable cause to suspect that such person has died a violent or unnatural death, or a sudden death, of which the cause is unknown, or died in prison, he shall summon a jury of not less than twelve, or more than twenty-three, men to inquire touching the death of such person aforesaid. If the deceased were attended at his death, or during his last illness, by a legally qualified medical practitioner, the coroner may summon such practitioner as a witness. If the deceased were not so attended in his last illness, the coroner may summon any legally qualified medical practitioner in actual practice, in or near the place where the death happened, to give evidence as to the cause of death. In either case the coroner may require the medical witness to make a _post-mortem_ examination of the body, with or without analysis of the contents of the stomach or intestines. Should a statement on oath be made by any one before the coroner, that in his belief the death of the deceased was caused partly or entirely by the improper or negligent treatment of a medical practitioner, such medical practitioner shall not make or assist at the _post-mortem_ examination.