Notable Historic Figures (History of Forensic Autopsy)

Herophilus

believed to have performed the first known autopsies for characterizing the course of diseases and subsequently wrote treaties on human anatomy and is often referred to as the ‘father of anatomy’

Pablo Zacchias

published three volumes on forensic medicine between 1621 and 1651 and is often called the ‘father of forensic medicine’

Kenshi

east asian officials who investigated scenes, equated to European coroners 

Giovanni Morgagni

 in 1761 this anatomist published ‘De Sedibus’ based on hundreds of autopsy dissections, often credited with establishing the concept of clinical pathologic correlation

Imhotep

(circa 2667-2648) - founder of ancient Egyptian medicine, believed to have been the first medical-legal expert

Pliny

Roman author who recorded the bodies of those who died and were examined to determine the cause of death

King Ptolemy

(367-282 BC) - established a university and library in Alexandria, where he authorized medical officials to dissect and examine bodies

Galen

(Circa A.D 130-210) best known for his systemization and innovation of the Hippocratic medical tradition, studied anatomy through the dissection of animals, typically pigs and apes. First to correlate patient complaints and symptoms with what was found upon examination of the affected area of the deceased

Julius Caesar 

(March 44 BC) - history’s earliest recorded autopsy report

Ansistius

offered the opinion that of the 23 stab wounds that Caesar sustained, none were in and of themselves fatal except for the wound to the chest, his report gave rise to the Latin term forensics, meaning ‘before the forum the forum is where he delivered his opinion

Chich-ts’si

Chinese physician from sixth century who wrote the first known treatise on forensic medicine

Song Ci

in 1247 edited Chinese classic texts on forensic investigation, also known as ‘ Records for Washing Away of Wrongs: It’s recognized as the world’s first systematic handbook for postmortem examination and covered cases in infanticide, drowning, hanging, poisoning, and assault

Pope Innocent 3rd

provided for the appointment of doctors to courts for the determination of wounds and 1209

Holy Roman Emperor Fredrick the Second

in 1231, issues a decree mandating that one human body should be dissected at least once every five years for anatomic studies at Salerno

Fortunatio Fedele

physician who made a career of performing autopsies and testifying in cort and published a book of forensic medicine (De Relationes Medicorum in 1602)

Ambroise Pare

1510-1590 is often considered the the first forensic pathologist, wrote extensively on traumatic injuries of organs

Samuel Farr

wrote ‘Elements of Medical Jurisprudence’ which contain descriptions of findings required for judgement by coroners and courts of law in cases including sexual assault and murder

Andrew DuncanCarl von RokitanskyCarl von Rokitansky

1789, began lecturing on legal medicine and public health

Carl von Rokitansky

performed 30,000 autopsies at the second Vienna medical school

Fredrick Zenker and Rudoplh Virchow

developed the basics of modern autopsy techniques

Dr J.S Stringham

began lecturing on legal medicine in New York around 1804