A collection of essays on the social history of legal medicine including case studies on infanticide, abortion, coroners' inquests and criminal insanity.

Forensic Medicine is an old medical discipline defined as “that science, which teaches the application of every branch of medical knowledge to the purpose of the law” (Alfred Swaine Taylor). Forensic Medicine deals with medical evidence not only in practice but also in research and furthermore all legal essentials in health care especially for doctors are part of teaching, training and research. Several steps in the development of Forensic Medicine can be distinguished: At first the use of medical knowledge for legal and public purposes.Secondly the compulsory medical testimony for the guidance of judges.Thirdly the professionalization as an own academic discipline. The development and existence of a speciality of Forensic Medicine depends essentially on two factors: on a sufficiently high development of the law and on a sufficiently high development of medicine. The period of professionalization of Forensic Medicine as an own academic discipline started in the 19th century, especially in Paris, Vienna, London, Edin­burgh, Berlin. Since than the world has changed dramatically and we are now witnesses of a rapid, deep-rooted social cultural, legal and technological trans­formation. Already 40 years ago Professor Bernhard Knight wrote in a survey on legal medicine in Europe: “In all aspects of life, the exchange of information on an inter­national level can do nothing but good and legal medicine is no exception.” This book on the History of Forensic Medicine is an approach in this direction. Forensic Medicine has a long and rich tradition since medical expertise has to face legal ques­tions and new questions and developments raised by the society. The aim of this book is to address the state of Forensic Medicine in different coun­tries worldwide. With contributions from Europe, China, Japan, the United States and the United Arabic Emirates.

1615 annotated references, most of which are located in the National Library of Medicine. Covers monographic literature (also chapters and parts), journal articles, and dissertations. Entries cover 26 languages and date from 16th century to present. Most titles are given in the original language. Alphabetical arrangement by authors. Subject index.

Vols. 1-28, 30-31, 33-34 include the society's Proceedings... at its annual meeting... 1893-1923, 1926.

The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death offers readers an extraordinary glimpse into the mind of a master criminal investigator. Frances Glessner Lee, a wealthy grandmother, founded the Department of Legal Medicine at Harvard in 1936 and was later appointed captain in the New Hampshire police. In the 1940s and 1950s she built dollhouse crime scenes based on real cases in order to train detectives to assess visual evidence. Still used in forensic training today, the eighteen Nutshell dioramas, on a scale of 1:12, display an astounding level of detail: pencils write, window shades move, whistles blow, and clues to the crimes are revealed to those who study the scenes carefully. Corinne May Botz's lush color photographs lure viewers into every crevice of Frances Lee's models and breathe life into these deadly miniatures, which present the dark side of domestic life, unveiling tales of prostitution, alcoholism, and adultery. The accompanying line drawings, specially prepared for this volume, highlight the noteworthy forensic evidence in each case. Botz's introductory essay, which draws on archival research and interviews with Lee's family and police colleagues, presents a captivating portrait of Lee.