Of Nursing Home Inspectors and Coroners

Back when the Republican Party actually did things in Cook County, Don Mulack, a man I met in Young Republicans, ran for Coroner.

His platform was that he would abolish the office if he won. He said a medical examiner system was needed in Illinois’ largest county.

He lost the election, but he won the war.

The Cook County Board abolished the office of coroner.

I was reminded of why I supported retention of the coroner system Friday when McHenry County State’s Attorney announced the indictments of a nurse and a practical nurse who allegedly administered unprescribed drugs to Woodstock Nursing Home patients.

Decades ago, the Lake County Coroner earned his or her keep by figuring out that some medical type was killing patients at a Zion nursing home. As I remember the situation, there was some element of a cover-up by other by other medical providers.

I can’t find anything about it on Google, but I remember its convincing me that medical examiners were not the be all and end all in death investigations.

In Zion, having someone outside the medical establishment led to the horrific findings.

The coroner played a time honored “checks and balances” role there.

In the Woodstock residences situation, it was not the coroner who started the investigation.

According to news reports, it was a state nursing home inspector.

Isn’t that refreshing?

Throughout this article, I have posted articles about the case.

The headlines pretty much tell the tale.

Bianchi did not charge anyone with murder.

He said he charged the two with offenses his office could prove.

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