Estimation of the Time Since Death in the Early Postmortem Period

Rating:
Summary: Turgid but worthy
Review: The only serious attempt to scientifically address the problem faced by forensic pathologists and to answer the questions that are frequently asked of the examining pathologist by the court.The fact that many factors affect the rate of change post mortem is no surprise. Unfortunately this makes for turgid reading. Spitz's rules of thumb are no more than common sense and good for armchair forensic detectives (such as the previous reviewer?). Knight and Henssge are very respected pathologists in their field; although their book is not particularly user- friendly, anyone with a professional interest in this topic should at least be aware with it.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money
Review: This is a terrible book. It is a hodge-podge of different methods of estimation of the time since death compiled by european professors... The methods described are useless, and highlight that this is an art, rather than a science. For example, the incredible number of nomograms attempting to describe all sorts of conditions a body may be found in, emphasize that judgement and experience are the ultimate determinants of the estimate of the time of death. As a forensic pathologist who does more than 400 cases a year, I know a little bit about the subject. Stick to rules of thumb such as the ones in Spitz's book, and spend your money elsewhere.