Handbook of Autopsy Practice

The second edition of Handbook of Autopsy Practice appeared in 1979 under the title Current Methods of Autopsy Practice (W.

B. Saunders Company); that edition was out of print in the early 1980s.

Now, over 20 years later, it appeared timely to thoroughly update the material in a third edition by adding what we have learned in the meantime and eliminating text that has become obsolete.

There is an acute need for a complete and readily acces- sible resource for autopsy work because few pathologists still specialize in autopsy practice and, as a consequence, expertise in autopsy technology and autopsy pathology has declined.

Our colleagues in the forensic field have remained the only large group of autopsy practitioners.

For most other pathologists, the economic situation, time constraints, and the steadily decreasing autopsy rates have made a career in autopsy pathology unattractive.

This state of affairs is perpetuated by a lack of interest among many of our young colleagues, partly because the teaching of autopsy pathology and autopsy techniques during most residencies is insufficient.

Numerous articles have be- moaned this situation, but the trend, I fear, is irreversible.

Still, autopsies will be requested, particularly in complex and difficult situations where the questions remaining after the death of the patient might challenge even experienced autopsy pathologists.

Under these circumstances, this Handbook of Autopsy Practice should meet a particular need by providing the prosector with a source of information when it is most required-in the autopsy room.