1. The history of the autopsy / Julian L Burton -- 2. The future of the autopsy / James Underwood -- 3. The role of the autopsy in medical education / Julian L Burton -- 4. Autopsies and the law / Caroline Browne and Christopher P. Dorries -- 5. Religious attitudes to death and post-mortem examinations / Jane E Rutty -- 6. The safe and healthy autopsy / Julian L Burton -- 7. Autopsies of people with high-risk infections / Sebastian Lucas -- 8. The external examination / Guy N. Rutty -- 9. The pathology of wounds and injuries / Guy N. Rutty -- 10. The evisceration / Guy N. Rutty and Julian L. Burton -- 11. Dissection of the internal organs / Julian L. Burton and Guy N. Rutty -- 12. Examination of the nervous system / James Lowe -- 13. Fetal, perinatal and infant autopsies / Marta C. Cohen -- 14. The maternal autopsy / G. Harry Millward-Sadler -- 15. Toxicological and biochemical analyses / Alexander R.W. Forrest -- 16. Microbiology of the autopsy / Elisabeth J. Ridgway and David J. Harvey -- 17. Investigating possible anaphylactic deaths / Richard S.H. Pumphrey and Ian S.D. Roberts -- 18. Perioperative and postoperative deaths / Julian L Burton -- 19. The radiological autopsy / Amanda J. Jeffery and Vimal Raj -- 20. The decomposed body and the unascertained autopsy / Julian L. Burton -- 21. Reconstruction of the body / Steven Donlon and Guy N. Rutty -- 22. Autopsies and clinical audit / James Underwood -- 23. Reports, documentation and statements / Guy N. Rutty.