Any time you watch a CSI type show or hear about a case solved using forensics you need to think of, and thank, Frances Glessner Lee. 18 Tiny Deaths: the Untold Story of the Woman Who Invented Modern Forensics, by Bruce Goldfarb is the story of that remarkable woman. Born into a wealthy family she was well educated, but could not go on to any college as none took women students at that time. What a shame! Although, given what she did, what she really was lacking was that formal acknowledgment ... a diploma, she had all the smarts. She was determined that there needed to be someone with medical training at a death, whether it was natural causes or not. At the time, any man could be appointed as coroner ... the baker, a nephew. Eye witnesses were often paid to say what was wanted, others were bribed to say it was an accidental death, and so on. Ms. Lee recognized a lot could be learned from a scene of death and pushed for classes and standards to be developed. She also created small, to scale, detailed dioramas of death scenes to be used for study. (A technique still used today). This was a wonderful and empowering read, what she managed to do was unbelievable. Sadly, though, the job is not yet done, there are still counties and states without such standards for a medical examiner. (big sigh)(!)

Reading Hermit With Dog