Since the publication of the second edition of this Atlas there has been, in many countries, a rapid
escalation in the closure of pathology museums, as well as a steep decline in the number of
autopsies being performed. This means that students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, are
even more deprived of access to the teaching of gross pathology than they were in 1995. It is
hoped that this Atlas will help to fill the void thus created in this important aspect of medical
education.
New technologies for the identification of gross pathology in living patients are constantly being
introduced. To acknowledge these developments we have included a number of examples of
radiological imaging, and in Chapter 4, The Alimentary System, we have included some endoscopic
views of gastrointestinal pathology. We always intended that this Atlas should be useful for teachers
preparing material for problem-based learning exercises. In this third edition we have taken the
opportunity to expand some of the topics to improve its usefulness in this regard.
We believe that medicine should be studied in its broadest connotations. This includes having
knowledge of medical history, so that the practice of medicine today can be put into proper
perspective. To this end, we have included a few historical specimens from some of the older
medical museums in Europe. Medicine is a universal profession, and represents a continuum of
experience as one generation of doctors benefits from the knowledge of previous generations.
We hope the readers enjoy this book as much as the authors have enjoyed compiling it.
Robin A. Cooke
Brian Stewart
Brisbane
2004
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