Physician’s Guide to Clinical Forensic Medicine

"This is the best textbook of clinical forensic medicine ever. It is essential reading for students and practitioners within this developing specialty. It is a most valuable guide and I unreservedly recommend it to all readers of this journal. It is written by a team of professionals from both sides of the Atlantic. The sexual examination (chapter 3) is covered exhaustively and includes 191 references. Similarly the chapter on substance abuse (Stark and Norfolk) covers the subject with great detail and includes 171 references. Traffic medicine, deaths in custody, crowd control agents and NAI are all given first class attention. The book itself has been beautifully printed on good paper. The text is clear and the proof reading cannot be faulted. I strongly advise all medico-legalists, police surgeons and forensic medical practitioners (including GPs) to have this textbook (it is more than a guide) on their shelves. It is required reading for all those who aspire to be forensic physicians or consultants-both in the US and the UK. Many in the allied professions will be well-advised to have access to this book. The Series Editor Karch and Editor Stark together with the Humana Press deserve warm congratulations from us for this superb textbook. The format and the clarity are so appealing. It deserves tremendous success." ---- Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine "One of the more useful features is a section on the principles of forensic medicine, a topic not typically covered in medical education. Two other topics covered in detail are sexual assault and traffic medicine, both of which have a good deal of relevant forensics not often understood by practitioners...This is a well-written text by an authoritative set of contributors. It is the first such book I have come across which is aimed at physicians." -Doody's Health Sciences Book Review Journal "In this day and age, all health care professionals need to be "forensically aware," especially when it comes to injury interpretation. This book offers basic guidelines on dealing wit fundamental principles of consent, confidentiality, note keeping court reports, and court attendance." -Consultant "...the editor and authors provide a comprehensive and up to date review of the current understanding of clinical forensic medicine. The text is divided logically into ten concise, easy to read chapters, some of which contain very useful "good practice tips."...The editor should be commended for brining together the wealth of experience of several months in a concise, easily readable and highly informative book on a subject of considerable importance not only to workers in the field of clinical forensic medicine but to many other health care professionals." - Resuscitation "...the clinical perspective of this very readable text makes it a useful and needed reference...this book is a welcome edition to a discipline that has few publications accessible to the clinician...it is recommended for most hospital and all academic medical libraries." - E-STREAMS

• 1: The History and Development of Clinical Forensic Medicine Worldwide.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Historical References.- 3. Contemporary Clinical Forensic Medicine.- 4. Clinical Forensic Medicine Around the World.- 5. Conclusions.- References.- 2: Fundamental Principles.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Consent.- 3. Confidentiality.- 4. Notekeeping.- 5. Access to Health Records.- 6. Preparation of Reports.- 7. Attendance at Court.- 8. The Duties of Expert Witnesses.- 9. Pitfalls.- References.- 3: Sexual Assault Examination.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Basic Principles of the Medical Examination.- 3. Basic Principles of the Forensic Analysis.- 4. Skin.- 5. Hair: Head and Pubic.- 6. Nails.- 7. Oral Cavity.- 8. Female Genitalia.- 9. Male Genitalia.- 10. Perianal Area and Anal Canal.- 11. Lubricants.- 12. Blood and Urine Analysis.- 13. Care of the Complainant.- References.- 4: Injury Interpretation.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Describing Injuries.- 23. Position of the Injury.- 3. Types of Injury.- 4. Firearm Injuries.- 5. Defense Injuries.- 6. Torture.- References.- 5: Nonaccidental Injury in Children.- I. Introduction.- 2. Nonaccidental Injury in Children.- 3. Types of Injuries.- 4. Summary.- References.- 6: Crowd Control Agents.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Clinical Features and Treatment.- 3. Conclusions.- References.- 7: Care of Detainees.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Administration of Medication.- 3. Conditions of Detention.- 4. Medical Problems.- 5. Mental Health.- 6. Personal Safety Issues.- 7. Drug Searches.- 8. Forensic Samples.- 9. Fitness to Be Interviewed.- 10. A Definition of Fit for Interview.- References.- 8: Substance Misuse.- 1. Introduction.- 2. General Principles.- 3. Specific Drugs.- 4. Alcohol.- References.- 9: Deaths in Custody.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Definition.- 3. Statistics.- 4. Investigation of Deaths in Custody.- 5. Deaths Related to the Phases of the Custodial Process.- 6. Causes of Death.- 7. Alcohol- and Drug-Related Deaths.- 8. Deliberate Injuries.- 9. Self--Inflicted Injuries.- 10. Excited Delerium.- 11. Rapid Unexplained Deaths During Restraint.- References.- 10: Traffic Medicine.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Medical Aspects of Fitness to Drive.- 3. Alcohol and Driving.- 4. Drugs and Driving.- References.- Appendices.- Preface.- 1. Ethical Documents.- 2. Guidance Notes on Statutory Provisions Governing Access to Health Records.- 3. Management of Head-Injured Detainees.- 4. Appropriate Adults.- 5. The Mini-Mental State Examination.- 6. Alcohol Assessment Questionnaires.- 7. Peak Effect, Half-Life, Duration of Action, and Times for Detection of Common Drugs.- 8. Drink/Drugs Driving Impairment Assessment Form.