PATOLOGIA FORENSE

Tempo fa ho recensito questo testo di patologia forense. Credo che in Italia sia poco diffuso, ma io ne ho avuto un'ottima impressione. Vedete voi. Non costa neanche troppo.

FORENSIC PATHOLOGY OF TRAUMA
By Michael J. Shkrumm and David A. Ramsay
Humana Press

Ah, had I such a book when I was young! This is a book that I read from the beginning to the end with great pleasure. Do you know someone who reads a textbook from the beginning to the end? It never happened to me in my life, as I usually jump from a chapter to another and to the analytical index and to the list of references.
This book is obviously an exception, as it is written in a way that I love. Sentences are short, the indicative mode of verbs is used, and every sentence is followed by a quotation. The list of quotations, at the end of every chapter, is practically complete, but only for texts in English language, other languages not being considered, and this is a pity. Also links to electronic texts are not included.
All the fields of forensic traumatic pathology are treated and developed with the same completeness and style.
It is remarkable that clinical and laboratory annotations are briefly but frequently included, to give a full information about pathological events.
In the electronic edition that I read, pictures are b/w of very good quality, immediately understandable. Tables are numerous and very explicative.
Through the 600 and more pages of the book, I found not so many informs that I didn’t know, but this is due only to my age and to the fact that I read in my life other books in English and other languages, not to negligence of the Authors.
In my opinion, this book seems to be very useful for young professional forensic pathologists and for those pathologists who occasionally perform a forensic autopsy, but it is too large for undergraduate students. The use I will make of it? I will take with me in a Court to give support to my thesis.
Finally, I must thank prof. Anil Aggrawahl for allowing me to read and review this book that I didn’t know before, and also to know the marvelous progress of London (Ontario) Health Center.

Rome, December 11th, 2008


Prof. dr Giusto Giusti
Ordinario di Medicina legale
Università di Roma "Tor Vergata"