Coroners' Reports, New York City, 1843-1849; by Kenneth Scott; 320 pp; 1991, Cloth; Indexed; Item # NYGS08

Between 1843 and 1849, some 5,000 New Yorkers died under unusual or suspicious circumstances and were the subjects of inquests by the city coroner. They ranged from Jacob Ackerson, a 72-year old native of New Jersey who ate pancakes "with arsenic inserted by person unknown," to Maria Zevia, a five-year old German girl who died of lung disease just after arriving on the Queen of the West.

In his 53rd book, a sequel to Coroners' Reports, New York City, 1823-1842, Dr. Scott once again has meticulously abstracted the reports of inquests on file at the Municipal Archives. Those who died represent a cross-section of the city's population, and the reports provide graphic evidence of the perils of city life in the mid-19th century. With this book, both genealogists and historians now have ready access to these invaluable records.