Post-Mortem Examinations

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. In the following paper Prof. Virchow gives some account of his early experience as Prosector in the dead-house of the Berlin Charite Hospital, and traces the subsequent development, under his auspices, of a systematic method of conducting post-mortem examinations. He also criticises, explains, and illustrates the regulations which have been promulgated throughout Germany for the guidance of medical jurists in performing autopsies and drawing up reports. (Regulativ fur das Verfahren der Gerichtsartzte bei den gerichtlichen Untersuchungen menschlicher Leichname. Herausgegeben von der Konigl. wissenschaftlichen Deputation fur das medicinalwesen, 8, 1875.) He also gives three interesting cases in which the post-mortem examinations were performed by himself, the order of sequence enjoined by the regulations being closely adhered to. An examination of these cases will show that nothing has been omitted which could throw any possible light on the cause of death.