Delaware's medicolegal investigation of death. Part 1.

In 1194, the coroner system was formally established in England with the original interest in death to protect the financial interest of the crown. This coroner system was brought to the United States during the early 1600s where the first recorded autopsy was performed in Massachusetts in 1647. Significant changes were made to improve upon the coroner system. In 1877, the first medical examiner system was established in the state of Massachusetts requiring that the coroner be supplanted by a physician known as a medical examiner. Using the system established in Massachusetts as a model, New York City developed an improved medical examiner system in 1915. The improvements made by New York City, under the leadership of men such as Drs. Charles Norris and Alex Gettler, essentially laid down the foundation for medical examiner systems and forensic toxicology throughout the country. Part II of this series will begin in Maryland. Maryland soon followed in New York City's footsteps and in 1939 developed the first statewide medical examiner system in the U.S. Influenced by systems such as Maryland's and New York City's, Delaware established a medical examiner system in 1955 to work alongside of the pre-existing coroner system. It was not until about a decade later in 1964 that the system became successful under the leadership of Dr. All Z. Hamell. In 1970, after 15 years of uphill battles with supporters of the antiquated coroner system, it was abolished, resulting in a statewide medical examiner system. Today, Delaware's medical examiner system has one of the best medicolegal investigative facilities in the country, complete with its own forensic sciences laboratory under the jurisdiction of a Chief Medical Examiner. Delaware's Office of Chief Medical Examiner will try to continue its tradition to serve as a model for other states and possibly other countries to follow.