Foreword by topselling author, Gerard Labuschagne.

A criminal's fate is often sealed by what is found on the autopsy table and Dr Hestelle van Staden has been crucial in the conviction of numerous criminals. As one of South Africa’s leading forensic pathologists, she has conducted over 7 000 autopsies. She has seen the worst South Africa has to offer and has been a voice to numerous murder victims.

In Blood Has a Voice, she walks us through nine of her most compelling cases, cases that stand out from among the many autopsies she has conducted. There is the tragic story of baby Letitia Meyer, whose mother alleged she fell from her pram; the unexplained death of a young mother during labour; and the case of the musician Lucky Dube, who was shot and killed . . .

Blood Has a Voice gives a rare glimpse into the investigation of death and the quiet heroism behind the unsung work of forensic pathologists.

Voorwoord deur die outeur en reeksmoordenaar-ondersoeker, Gerard Labuschagne.

Die forensiese patoloog, Hestelle van Staden sien byna daagliks die skadukant van die mens. Sy het al meer as 7000 outopsies behartig waarvan die meerderheid mense aan onnatuurlike oorsake oorlede is. In hierdie boek werp sy lig op nege lykskouings.

Daar is die tragiese storie van baba Letitia Meyer wie se ma volgehou het sy het bloot uit 'n stootwaentjie geval . . . die moord op die bekende musikant Lucky Dube en die outopsie van 'n jong swanger vrou wie se dood medici laat kopkrap het.

Outopsie bied 'n blik op die lewe van 'n forensiese patoloog in SuidAfrika en die uitdagings wat daarmee gepaard gaan.

The second edition of this award-winning textbook has been thoroughly revised and updated throughout. Building on the success of the first edition, the book continues to address the History and Practice of Forensic Psychiatry, Legal Regulation of the Practice of Psychiatry, Psychiatry in relation to Civil Law, Criminal Law, and Family Law. Important sections such as Special Issues in Forensic Psychiatry, Law and the Legal System, and Landmark Cases in Mental Health Law are included. Designed to meet the needs of practitioners of forensic psychiatry, for residents in forensic psychiatry, and those preparing for the specialty examination in Forensic Psychiatry of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, this volume will also answer the many questions faced by mental health professionals, mental health administrators, correctional health professionals and correctional health administrators, attorneys, judges, probation and parole officers and administrators all of whom, at one time or another, require a substantive presentation of the entire field of forensic psychiatry in the USA.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

'Since I was a child, I've been interested in dead bodies. When I was eight years old, I dug up the remains of my pet budgie Zazbut. He had been buried for about eight weeks in a patch of grass outside our house in Dasmarinas, a fortified village in Manila, in the Philippines. 'The first exhumation was the beginning of my intrigue with death, which has persisted. As a journalist, I've written about graveyards, funerals and death doulas. I always visit the local cemetery wherever I am in the world. But one thing that has largely been hidden from me in this death trip is the dead body.' Dissection might not be a normal topic to contemplate but when both your paternal grandparents donate their bodies to science it does intermittently cross your mind. This is the story of how Jackie Dent's grandparents-Ruby and Julie-gave their bodies to science when they died. No one in her family seems to know why, or what really happened with their bodies afterwards. Were they avid science buffs? Was it to save on cremation costs? How do scientists tackle the practicalities and ethics of cutting up the dead for research? And who are body donors generally? Weaving the personal with the history of anatomy and the dissected, Jackie Dent explores the world of whole-body donation - all the while looking for answers as to what happened to her grandparents.

* PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY * The compelling and moving memoir of forensic psychiatrist Dr Duncan Harding

This book is a comprehensive guide to forensic analytical toxicology for trainees in forensic medicine and forensic scientists. The second edition has been fully revised to provide clinicians with the latest developments and research in the field. New chapters covering the latest analytical instruments have been added to this edition. Beginning with guidance on setting up a modern toxicology laboratory, the next sections, with the help of flow charts, explain the procedures for collection, preservation, extraction, and clean up; and screening and colour tests for various poisons. The following chapters describe numerous major and minor analytical instruments and techniques, and their application in forensic toxicology. The text is further enhanced by clinical images, figures and tables. The previous edition (9789351522249) published in 2014.

When eighteen-year-old Gloria Summers dies unexpectedly after undergoing an elective tubal ligation at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital, the mortality review committee can't determine what went wrong. But three more unexplained deaths of young women sends the hospital administration reeling. Desperate measures ensue, and surgical privileges are suspended.

The administration hires renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Cole Buchanan to investigate these suspicious deaths. After reviewing the cases and performing additional autopsies, Buchanan determines that the deaths were murders, but he is stymied by the perpetrator's method. Detroit Police Department investigator Detective Joe Braun joins Buchanan in the murder probe; this pairing of a forensic specialist with a seasoned murder investigator provides unique insight into the case.

Several possible suspects come to the forefront as the investigation focuses on the victims' backgrounds. Could the suspicious deaths be tied to the women's Catholic religion? Or is someone on the hospital staff to blame for the murders? Will Buchanan and Braun be able to unravel the mystery before more women die needlessly after surgery? As the investigation continues, friends become enemies, one involved physician commits suicide, and an old romance is rekindled within the police department.

Digital forensics deals with the acquisition, preservation, analysis and presentation of electronic data. The detailed documentation and analysis of human data with 3D-imaging and processing techniques has led to qualitative improvements in forensic pathologic investigation and documentation. Digital Forensics for the Health Sciences: Applications in Practice and Research discusses current applications of digital forensics in health sciences as well as the latest research in this area. This reference work covers basic concepts, best practices, common techniques, investigative challenges and, most importantly, examines the major limitations of current tools and discusses approaches that may help investigators deal with the ever-increasing size and complexity of forensic targets.

When a loved one dies in a mysterious manner, we rely on coroners and medical examiners to tell us what happened. The stakes are high: Coroners seek justice for the dead, exoneration for the wrongfully accused, and closure for the families of victims. They are always on call and work closely with law enforcement.

Author Robert S. West, who served as a physician-coroner in rural Kootenai County, Idaho, from 1970 to 2011, delves into the challenges he faced on the job. While he often lacked resources, he always did the best he could to serve his community, solving numerous mysteries using the tactics of forensic medicine.

Dr. West also explores the shortcomings of the coroner/medical examiner system and how it can be improved. Widely varying educational requirements and unrealistic expectations need to be balanced in order to fill the shortage of forensic pathologists while enhancing the training of current coroners.

Join a coroner from rural northern Idaho as he looks back at his career's most challenging cases and explains how to reform the system in It Can (and Does) Happen Here

A broad understanding of bone and tooth microstructure is necessary for constructing the biological profile of an individual or individuals within a population. Bone Histology: An Anthropological Perspective brings together authors with extensive experience and expertise in various aspects of hard tissue histology to provide a comprehensive discussion of the application of methods, current theories, and future directions in hard tissue research related to anthropological questions.

Topics discussed include:

• The biology underlying skeletal growth and development leading to adult skeletal morphology
• Current research in understanding in bone modeling
• Histological features of dental hard tissues and their utility in biological anthropology
• Histological analysis as a means to differentiate human from nonhuman bone and for the purpose of age estimation
• The biomechanics of cortical bone
• Histotaphonomy and how postmortem microstructural change can be used for taphonomic inquiry
• The application of light microscopy in paleopathology to classify pathological conditions
• The histological study of bone tissue of archaeological origin
• Researchers' access to collections of bone samples with known demographic information
• Technological aspects of hard tissue histology, including laboratory requirements and high-resolution imaging

In most cases, the physical remains of humans available to bioarchaeologists, paleopathologists, and paleontologists are limited to skeletal material. Fortunately, these hard tissues are a storehouse of information about biological processes experienced during the life of an individual. This volume provides an overview of the current state of research and potential applications in anthropology and other fields that employ a histological approach to the study of hard tissues.

Forensic professionals, particularly medical examiners-often working through heavy caseloads-require quick and easy access to reliable sources of information to help interpret toxicology results. While several in-depth resources are available, they are often large, cumbersome, and contain more information than is often needed. The Handbook of Forensic Toxicology for Medical Examiners is a concise handbook referencing the most common toxic substances and their reported non-toxic, toxic, and lethal concentrations, making it an ideal text for quick reference in the lab or autopsy room. Features of the Second Edition: Explains the principles of postmortem toxicology and the factors which must be considered Provides tables of toxicologic data for over 200 commonly encountered substances, including drugs of abuse, poisons, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter medications Includes discussion and description of the novel psychoactive drugs-including synthetic opioids, cannabinoids, stimulants and hallucinogens Supplemental appendices provide additional information regarding specimen types and selection, testing methodologies, normal laboratory values, and conversion charts The busy forensic professional needs a concise handbook that provides critical information quickly and accurately. This heavily referenced text offers an easy-to-use format allowing for rapid access for both routine daily use and preparation for courtroom testimony.