True tales of microscopic detective work that catches killers both human and pathogen: ';More fascinating than fiction. Forget CSI, this is the real thing' (Val McDermid). A Matter of Life and Deathprofiles some of the world's most eminent and pioneering pathologists. This is a hidden world, yet one we will all inevitably encounter at some time in our lives, for pathology lies at the cornerstone o… f modern medicine. It is pathologists who are responsible for recognizing new diseases such as AIDS, SARS or bird flu, and for diagnosing which cancer a patient is suffering from. Beyond this, it is pathologists who must explain the cause of death at the autopsy table. A Matter of Life and Deathtells fascinating stories of mysterious illnesses and miraculous scientific breakthroughs. But it is also crammed full of extraordinary characters - from the forensic anthropologist with his own Body Farm in Tennessee to the doctor who had a heart-and-lung transplant and ended up using her own lungs for research. ';If you're interested in criminal investigation, this is the must-read of the year. Probably of the decade.' Val McDermid, author of Insidious Intent

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