The purpose of this paper is to point out the possibility of death occurring prematurely in epileptics from apparently inadequate anticonvulsant therapy. Moreover, the information may be useful to the forensic pathologist faced with the “difficult autopsy” [1] where no definite cause of death is found. Toxicology is most useful in demonstrating deaths resulting from overdoses. However, subtherapeutic or negative anticonvulsant drug levels in a known epileptic may have equal usefulness in establishing a probable cause of death. The potential problem for the pathologist may be emphasized if he realizes there are approximately 1.7 million epileptics living in the United States today [2]. Rarely does the death of an epileptic make headlines in a major newspaper.

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This is an excellent color atlas of tumor histopathology and represents a valuable addition to any general pathologist's reference library. Perhaps the utility is limited for the pure practice of forensic pathology, but many of us have a combined general and forensic pathology practice. Therefore this concise collection and description of common and rare neoplasms is useful. Even someone practicing strictly forensic pathology would encounter neoplasms unexpectedly and in cases of possible therapeutic misadventure. Forensic Pathology by G. Austin Gresham, published by Yearbook in the Color Atlas series in 1975, is, generally speaking, much more useful to the forensic pathologist. This addition to the Yearbook Color Atlas series is designed for “medical students, surgeons, radiotherapists and clinical oncologists.” The hematoxylin and eosin stained sections are of superior quality and the photomicrographs are clear with good choice of magnification to illustrate the salient features utilized in diagnosis. The use of gross photographs is limited but adequate. Only one radiograph is included, however, and this may be a deficiency when considering bone tumors. Pertinent electron micrographs and special stains are well chosen for certain distinctive neoplasms. The accompanying legends are concise and informative and include minimal appropriate clinical material. The neoplasms of carcinoid types arising from the foregut, midgut, and hindgut are especially well presented and include such rarities as the goblet cell and spindle cell variants of the appendiceal carcinoid. The list of carcinoid tumors includes those arising in the breast, bronchus, ovary, rectum, small intestine, stomach, testis, and thymus as well as the more commonly encountered appendiceal carcinoids.