by Biswas Gautam
The book entitled “Review of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology” comprises of two sections. Section 1 illustrates about jurisprudence and forensic medicine and section 2 illustrates about toxicology. Forensic medicine and toxicology is an expansive and budding field where many changes occur because of the new research in the field, new technology or new laws or regulations being implemented. This books aims to provide a critical update of all the chapters that are affected by such changes. Jurisprudence and forensic medicine elaborates medical jurisprudence and ethics; acts related to medical practice; legal procedure; different ways of identification; details of autopsy; asphyxia; different types of injuries; decompression, radiation and altitude sickness; deaths (starvation and anesthetic); infanticide and child abuse are discussed. Also topics like abortion; impotence and sterility; virginity, pregnancy and delivery; sexual offenses; postmortem artifacts; forensic psychiatry; bloodstain analysis; seminal stains and other biological samples; DNA fingerprinting; torture and custodial deaths; medico-legal aspects of HIV and newer techniques and recent advances are highlighted. Toxicology illustrates about general toxicology; corrosive poisons; inorganic metal irritants (arsenic, mercury, lead, copper, thallium and others); non-metallic and mechanical irritants; organic irritants (plant and animal); somniferous poisons; inebriants—alcohol; sedative-hypnotic—barbiturates; deliriants—dhatura/datura; deliriants—cannabis; deliriants—cocaine; spinal and peripheral nerve poisons; cardiac poisons; hydrocyanic acid; asphyxiants; war gases and biological weapons; agricultural poisons; alphos; medicinal poisons; drug dependence and date rape drugs; kerosene oil poisoning and food poisoning. At the end of each chapter, topic-wise multiple choice questions are given.