A Physician’s Guide to Clinical Forensic Medicine (Forensic Science)
By addebook • Oct 1st, 2008 • Category: Medicine •
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A Physician’s Guide to Clinical Forensic Medicine (Forensic Science) - 1st edition
A Physician’s Guide to Clinical Forensic Medicine (Forensic Science) (Forensic Science)
By Margaret M. Stark
Publisher: Humana Press
Number Of Pages: 326
Publication Date: 2000-02-15
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0896037428
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780896037427
Binding: Hardcover
This revised edition has been completely updated and expanded to address the latest developments and professional concerns in forensic medicine. There are new chapters on the medical aspects of police restraint and new material on the potential of police exposure to infection, the role of alcohol and drugs in vehicular accidents, and forensic sampling in sexual assault examinations. The chapters on fundamental principles, nonaccidental injury in children, and the care of detainees are all fully revised, as are the appendices (now containing a list of useful websites).
Summary: Clinical Forensic Medicine A Physician Guide (2nd ed)
Rating: 5
A Physician’s Guide to Clinical Medicine (2nd ed.) is a multiauthored text edited by Dr. Margaret Stark and which forms part of the Forensic Science and Medicine series of Humana Press. From the point of view of the North American trained pathologist with subspecialty certification in forensic pathology and with a practice in hospital and forensic pathology, the book has provided new information in clinical forensic medicine and refreshed and enriched my expertise as a forensic and hospital pathologist.
The book is a multiauthored effort with most of the authorative contributors coming from the United Kingdom. The information is up-to-date, includes in a nutshell a substantial amount of material on clinical Forensic Medicine and is organized as follows: 1. The History and Development of Clinical Forensic Medicine Worldwide. 2. Fundamental Principles. 3. Sexual Assault Examination. 4. Injuries Assessment, Documentation and Interpretation. 5. Non-accidental Injury in Children. 6. Crowd Controlled Agents. 7. Medical Issues Relevant to Restraint. 8. Care of Detainees. 9. Infectious diseases: The Role of the Forensic Physician. 10. Substance Misuse. 11. Death in Custody. 12. Traffic Medicine.
The text is well written, easy to understand and short enough to read in its entity, even multiple times if desired, say in preparation for professsional examinations. A minor disappointment with the first chapter is that there is no inclusion of countries such as Japan, the United States and the Caribbean in the survey results. All the other chapters contain useful easily adaptable professional information for a worldwide audience. The book also has special appeal to family physicians, accident and emergency officers, surgeons, pediatricians, psychiatrists and public health personnel. As forensic medicine is scantily taught largely by unqualified personnel in medical schools throughout the world, medical students will find this publication a gem. A physician practicing in a less developed country, would be able to use this book, especially the proformas in the appendix, to help improve their medicolegal practice. References are accurate and appear to be specially chosen to provide further authorative information in cases where material had to be condensed such as in the chapter on Non-accidental Injury in Children.
There are very few typographical errors in the text, on pages 267 (severe) and 278 (custody) to name a few. A drawback is the relatively few photographs, all in black and white. There would be added value for audiences such as coroners, death investigators and District Medical Officers in Commonwealth countries such as those from the Caribbean, if a chapter on Death Scenes were to be included. The e-book is an added bonus but there is disappointment because of its restricted use on one computer.
Overall the second edition of the book continues to be a major success. It not only serves the target audience of physicians but would also be useful for medical students, police officers, paramedics, nurses and non-medical students in the forensic sciences. Although there is an abundance of information pertaining to the UK forensic system, practitioners in less developed countries would find this publication a very worthwhile investment as it is easily adaptable to their system. Forensic pathologists especially those in training and the more seasoned ones practicing in any geographic location would also find this text very useful.
Summary: A Helpful Guide
Rating: 4
This book is a valuable resource for physicians needing a good working /functional knowledge in forensic medicine. Clinicians with forays into the forensic side of medical pracctice will find the book helpful since the topics on the fundamentral principles, sexual assault, injutry interpretation and substance misuse are generally well discussed and top notch. The subject on deaths leaves the reader “hanging” as it focuses merely on deaths in custody. The subject should have been dealt with more comprehensively. As the title of the book implies, this is merely a guide to clinical forensics. Readers with keener interest on the subject should resort to the standard textbooks in forensic medicine and forensic poathology. Clinicians working in a litigious environement may benefit from this book.
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