Medicina legale

A practical hands-on bench book covering difficult areas of autopsy for the modern pathologist. Rutty's book is unique - chapters deal with issues never previously discussed and have been specifically selected to fill a gap in the market, not just re-hash old ideas. Designed for consultants and trainees alike, not only pathologists of all types but also non-medics involved with the dead in any way - lawyers, police, bereavement officers, undertakers. The first volume has become a reference aid to autopsy issues for all grades of lawyers. Thus the audience that the book reaches is greater than a pure autopsy or forensic pathology textbook.

Terminal Ballistics: A Text and Atlas of Gunshot Wounds is a comprehensive guide that explains the science of forensic ballistics - focusing on the hardware, injury patterns, and forensic techniques associated with gunshot wounds. The text begins by describing the anatomy and design of basic firearms and the fundamental components of ammunition rounds, .22 rimfire, and propellants. The author presents a variety of gunshot injury patterns, and defines the concept of the pathological range of fire determination. He delineates patterns from injuries sustained by commonly fired rounds, including those acquired after discharge from handguns, high velocity centerfire rifles, shot guns, and black powder weapons. More obscure injuries from air pistols, nail guns, and homemade weapons are also detailed. Specific chapters identify the effects of intermediary targets, the mechanics of injuries sustained after a bullet passes through bone and the internal organs, and exit wounds. The author also observes situations that mimic gunshot injury, a frequently neglected area of gunshot injury interpretation. This extensive resource also depicts the technical aspects of forensic wound ballistic examinations, including protocol for managing the receipt of specimens from a gunshot wound surgical resection, gunshot residue sampling, and forensic radiology as applied to gunshot investigation. It outlines crime scene investigation, the autopsy and resulting report, forensic photography, and entomology. The final chapter highlights personal experiences from theatres of war and the investigations of atrocities where gunshot trauma is demonstrated.

"Forensic Pathology: Principles and Practice" is an extensively illustrated reference book that contains more than 1800 color photographs accompanied by well-considered text that thoroughly explains representative topics, and also provides abundant, up-to-date references for further reading. This well-written volume uses a case-oriented format to address, explain and guide the reader through the varied topics encountered by forensic pathologists. It will benefit not only the experienced forensic pathologist, but also the hospital pathologist who occasionally performs medicolegal autopsies. Doctors in training and those law enforcement officials investigating the broad spectrum of sudden, unexpected and violent deaths that may fall within the jurisdiction of medicolegal death investigators will also find this an invaluable resource. It includes: large, colorful photographs which beautifully illustrate the concepts outlined in the text; sample descriptions of pathological lesions which serve to aid pathologists in reporting their findings to law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and others involved in investigations of sudden death; and, 'Do and Don't' sections at the end of each chapter which provide guidance for handling the types of cases examined within preceding sections.