Probing Deaths, Saving Lives
by Angela Coulter
This book chronicles the life of John Birt Davies, a pioneering coroner and medical reformer in nineteenth-century Birmingham.
Against a backdrop of political and social upheaval, the Welsh physician became a central figure in the transformation of the city, distinguishing himself as a physician, medical teacher, political activist, friend of the poor, and as the borough’s first—and most memorable—coroner.
Renowned for his fearlessness, social awareness, and strong independence, Birt Davies was unwavering in his commitment to impartiality, striving to ensure that everyone, especially the least privileged, received justice without prejudice. Throughout his long career, he presided over an extraordinary thirty thousand inquests.
The book offers unique insights into the ways in which Victorian society confronted sudden, unexplained, and violent deaths, including suicides, murders, and large-scale industrial accidents, revealing much about the attitudes and beliefs prevalent during that period.
‘It will appeal particularly to those interested in the social history of industrial towns and cities during the early 19th century’, Journal of the British Society for the History of Medicine
‘A fascinating window on the social and political environment of C19 Birmingham’, Amazon
‘A superlative work of social history’, Goodreads
‘An important contribution to medical history, informative and illuminating’, Amazon
‘A truly astonishing social record’, Amazon
Available in paperback and e-book from the publisher Troubador (use code Probe for a discounted price), Amazon and other online retailers.
See posts for brief stories from the book.
Angela Coulter, a social scientist and health services researcher turned biographer, is the great-great-granddaughter of John Birt Davies.
30,000 inquests! That is a gripping statistic!