Forensic Neuropathology and Neurology
http://www.100md.com
《新英格兰医药杂志》
The field of forensic neuropathology has, in large measure, come into its own during the past 30 to 40 years. The first book bearing this title (Forensic Neuropathology: Lesions of the Brain and Spinal Cord of Medico-Legal Importance. Mundelein, Ill.: Callaghan) was authored by the late Cyril B. Courville in 1964. I authored the next book (Forensic Neuropathology. New York: Raven Press) in 1988. Recently another book on this subject has appeared: Forensic Neuropathology, edited by Helen L. Whitwell (London: Hodder Arnold, 2005). Both this new book and the work by Oehmichen and colleagues are important additions to the literature.
Good source material for forensic neuropathology is often hard to find. Many forensic pathology textbooks include adequate chapters on brain injury and some other topics in neuropathology, but not much more. For many years, only a few neuropathologists practiced forensics; today, scores of neuropathologists do. It is fair to say that there is widespread interest in and appreciation for neuropathology in most forensic pathology facilities, in the U.S. legal system, and abroad — thus, this book is timely and welcome.
Oehmichen and his coauthors have respected records of scholarship in the pathology of brain disease and in the application of the study of neuropathology to forensic science, and they have published many important papers in respected professional journals. Oehmichen has been associated for many years with the University Clinics of Schleswig-Holstein and the Institute of Legal Medicine in Lübeck, Germany. This 660-page book likely represents the culmination of his life's work, and it will be welcomed by serious readers of books on forensics and neuropathology everywhere.
Forensic Neuropathology and Neurology covers virtually all aspects of neurologic disease and possible forensic applications to this branch of medicine, particularly the mechanisms, aging, and dating of various processes. The authors frequently compare and contrast differences among various matters and clarify their meanings to both German and American pathologists; in doing so, they avoid any sense of insularity. In 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Daubert v. Merrell Dow that federal judges are required to review expert testimony and admit it only if it is reliable and relevant. Although in the United States this so-called Daubert standard of scientific evidence is an important benchmark on admissibility in court, it apparently has no counterpart in Germany or anywhere else; thus, it is perhaps understandable that a discussion of this topic is not undertaken in this book. Forensic Neuropathology and Neurology is written lucidly, without jargon or an excess of annoying abbreviations. Obscure terms are generally defined, and references are generally relevant and current. The photographs are superb and reflect the care and time spent on their preparation.
The book is subdivided into perhaps too many fragmented chapters. This fragmentation, which may be annoying or confusing to some readers, results in a good deal of overlap among chapters and in repetition and sometimes different presentations of the same material. In addition, chapter 25, on physical abuse, describes the highly controversial issue of the so-called shaken-baby syndrome and other issues of nonaccidental head injury; this chapter posed the greatest issue for me. This portion of the book has more than academic significance because the material presented here will likely find its way into the courts, where persons accused of shaking an infant and thus causing injury or death may be on trial for their lives. It is fair to point out that there are serious questions among many physicians over the existence of shaken-baby syndrome. A typical sampling of the literature in support of the syndrome is presented in this chapter of the book, but few of the important biologic, mechanical, pathological, and scientific challenges to the existence of this syndrome are mentioned except in passing. In an otherwise scholarly book, this imbalance is perplexing. The reader might come away with the notion that shaken-baby syndrome is a fact, without appreciating that as of this writing a lively debate over the validity of the chapter's material and its importance is active both in the literature and in the courts. With the exception of this chapter, the book is of high quality.
This textbook can occupy a useful place in one's library. It will be helpful to forensic pathologists, neuropathologists, and many others. Like any book, it has its imperfections, which are to be appreciated for what they are. Nevertheless, the overriding value of the book prevails.
Jan E. Leestma, M.D.
1440 N. Kingsbury St.
Chicago, IL 60622
jleestma@aol.com(By Manfred Oehmichen, Rol)
Good source material for forensic neuropathology is often hard to find. Many forensic pathology textbooks include adequate chapters on brain injury and some other topics in neuropathology, but not much more. For many years, only a few neuropathologists practiced forensics; today, scores of neuropathologists do. It is fair to say that there is widespread interest in and appreciation for neuropathology in most forensic pathology facilities, in the U.S. legal system, and abroad — thus, this book is timely and welcome.
Oehmichen and his coauthors have respected records of scholarship in the pathology of brain disease and in the application of the study of neuropathology to forensic science, and they have published many important papers in respected professional journals. Oehmichen has been associated for many years with the University Clinics of Schleswig-Holstein and the Institute of Legal Medicine in Lübeck, Germany. This 660-page book likely represents the culmination of his life's work, and it will be welcomed by serious readers of books on forensics and neuropathology everywhere.
Forensic Neuropathology and Neurology covers virtually all aspects of neurologic disease and possible forensic applications to this branch of medicine, particularly the mechanisms, aging, and dating of various processes. The authors frequently compare and contrast differences among various matters and clarify their meanings to both German and American pathologists; in doing so, they avoid any sense of insularity. In 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Daubert v. Merrell Dow that federal judges are required to review expert testimony and admit it only if it is reliable and relevant. Although in the United States this so-called Daubert standard of scientific evidence is an important benchmark on admissibility in court, it apparently has no counterpart in Germany or anywhere else; thus, it is perhaps understandable that a discussion of this topic is not undertaken in this book. Forensic Neuropathology and Neurology is written lucidly, without jargon or an excess of annoying abbreviations. Obscure terms are generally defined, and references are generally relevant and current. The photographs are superb and reflect the care and time spent on their preparation.
The book is subdivided into perhaps too many fragmented chapters. This fragmentation, which may be annoying or confusing to some readers, results in a good deal of overlap among chapters and in repetition and sometimes different presentations of the same material. In addition, chapter 25, on physical abuse, describes the highly controversial issue of the so-called shaken-baby syndrome and other issues of nonaccidental head injury; this chapter posed the greatest issue for me. This portion of the book has more than academic significance because the material presented here will likely find its way into the courts, where persons accused of shaking an infant and thus causing injury or death may be on trial for their lives. It is fair to point out that there are serious questions among many physicians over the existence of shaken-baby syndrome. A typical sampling of the literature in support of the syndrome is presented in this chapter of the book, but few of the important biologic, mechanical, pathological, and scientific challenges to the existence of this syndrome are mentioned except in passing. In an otherwise scholarly book, this imbalance is perplexing. The reader might come away with the notion that shaken-baby syndrome is a fact, without appreciating that as of this writing a lively debate over the validity of the chapter's material and its importance is active both in the literature and in the courts. With the exception of this chapter, the book is of high quality.
This textbook can occupy a useful place in one's library. It will be helpful to forensic pathologists, neuropathologists, and many others. Like any book, it has its imperfections, which are to be appreciated for what they are. Nevertheless, the overriding value of the book prevails.
Jan E. Leestma, M.D.
1440 N. Kingsbury St.
Chicago, IL 60622
jleestma@aol.com(By Manfred Oehmichen, Rol)