Voltaire
In Scotland Doctors can list 'old age' or 'frailty due to old age' as the sole cause of death according to the published "Guidance for doctors completing Medical Certificates of the Cause of Death (MCCD) and its quality assurance".
The document states this "should only be given as the sole cause of death when all of the following criteria have been met:
You have personally cared for the deceased over a long period (years, or many months)
You have observed a gradual decline in your patient's general health and functioning
You are not aware of any identifiable disease or injury that contributed to the death
You are certain that there is no other reason that the death should be reported to the PF [Procurator Fiscal]
The patient is 80 years or older and all the condition listed above are met"
It adds that the National Records of Scotland (NRS) "may ask you to support your statement with information from the relevant medical records of the deceased". The guidance goes on to state that the "deceased's family may not regard old age as an adequate explanation for their relative's death". In these cases, the family can request a further investigation to be carried out. I think we can safely say that 'Old Age' was an adequate explantion for the King and his siblings.
We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation.461
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