Forensic Chemistry

The general public’s fascination with forensic science is unquestioned. Over the past decade, television programs focusing on the solution of crimes—such as the Law & Order, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Cold Case, and their spin-offs—have consistently topped popularity charts in the United States and other nations. Viewers seem to be captivated by the crime‑solving tools that law enforcement officers have at their disposal and the skills with which they use those tools. The appeal of crime stories is not new. Going

back at least as far as Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murder in the Rue Morgue” (1841), Charles Dickens’ Bleak House (1852-53), and Wilkie Collins’s The Woman in White (1859), such tales have been best

sellers around the world. This fascination with forensic science is not difficult to understand. Investigators today have an amazing array of instruments, equipment, chemicals, and other devices with which to examine the most minute evidence. No criminal can hope to escape from a crime scene without leaving behind at least some evidence. A single eyelash may be all that is necessary for his or her identification. One of the most important contributors to the forensic scientist’s investigative arsenal has been the science of chemistry. Researchers have developed a host of new procedures for analyzing blood, fingerprints, DNA samples, documents, ammunition, medicines and drugs, soil, bacteria and other microorganisms, fire remnants, and even voiceprints. The purpose of Forensic Chemistry is to provide an introduction to some of the most important developments in this field over the past few decades and make it possible for readers to continue the study of forensic chemistry on their own

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Clinical Forensic Medicine

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), now in its 175th year, has a
long tradition of working with doctors. In fact, the origin of the forensic physician
(police surgeon) as we know him or her today, dates from the passing
by Parliament of The Metropolitan Act, which received Royal Assent in June
of 1829. Since then, there are records of doctors being “appointed” to the
police to provide medical care to detainees and examine police officers while
on duty.

The MPS has been involved in the training of doctors for more than 20
years, and has been at the forefront of setting the highest standards of working
practices in the area of clinical forensic medicine. Only through an awareness
of the complex issues regarding the medical care of detainees in custody
and the management of complainants of assault can justice be achieved. The
MPS, therefore, has worked in partnership with the medical profession to
ensure that this can be achieved.

The field of clinical forensic medicine has developed in recent years
into a specialty in its own right. The importance of properly trained doctors
working with the police in this area cannot be overemphasized. It is essential
for the protection of detainees in police custody and for the benefit of the
criminal justice system as a whole. A book that assists doctors in the field is
to be applauded.

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Autopsy Pathology

The authors are gratified that the first edition of Autopsy Pathology was well received. Our objective in publishing a second edition remains the same as before, namely to provide a resource for those learning the art and science of postmortem examinations. Though the book is designed with the pathologist-in-training in

mind, we hope that practicing pathologists, pathology assistants, and others involved in various fields of death investigation will also find it useful. The format used in the first edition remains; however, we have strived to improve each chapter. We have added illustrations to the atlas (Chapter 15), including a new section

on forensic pathology. Dr. Andrew J. Connolly of Stanford University has contributed a succinct new chapter that covers autopsy practice in cases of sepsis and multiorgan failure, a much needed addition to a modern autopsy text. A number of individuals require acknowledgment. The support and encouragement

of Dr. Abul K. Abbas, chair of the UCSF Department of Pathology, is sincerely appreciated. Special thanks are owed to Dr. Connolly for his participation in this edition. We are indebted to Dr. Mark A. Super of the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office and Drs. Robert Anthony and Gregory Reiber of Northern California Forensic Pathology for donating key forensic images. We thank Dr. Jonathan L. Hecht of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School for allowing us to use a slightly modified version of his template for fetal examinations. Our gratitude also goes to the Elsevier staff. Here, we must

single out Ms. Andrea M. Vosburgh, developmental editor, for her singular attention to detail and many insightful suggestions that turned a manuscript into a book. Without her help, the task of revising this work would certainly have been much more difficult. Our thanks go also to our executive editor, Mr. William

Schmitt, who provided guidance through each phase of the project. We are also indebted to Megan Greiner, production editor at Graphic World Inc. for her excellent work during final production. Finally, the authors thank their families for their enduring love and support

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