Preface -- Acknowledgement -- Part I. Autopsy protocol -- Purpose, structure, and organization -- Purpose -- Structure -- Organization -- Measurements -- Diagnostic terms -- External Examination -- Inventory of parts -- Clothing and surface evidence -- Identifying Features -- Signs of death -- Organization of external findings -- Therapy -- Organ and tissue dnation -- Wounds by type -- General organization -- Outside-in -- Paragraphs -- Impact wounds -- Blade wounds -- Hanging -- Firearm wounds -- Burns and fire deaths -- Wounds by organ -- Measurements -- Bones: General -- Skull and Dura -- Ribs -- Long bones and pelvis -- Vertebrae -- Ligaments, joints and muscle -- Body cavities -- Aortic lacerations -- Heart -- Central nervous system -- Lungs -- Liver -- Spleen -- Internal examination -- Autopsy procedures -- Wounds, therapy, and donations -- Body cavities -- Heart and great vessels -- lungs -- Liver, bile ducts, gallbladder and pancreas -- Reticuloendothelial system -- Genitourinary system -- Endocrine organs -- Digestive organs -- Musculoskeletal system -- Neck -- Head -- Tumors -- Part II. Opinion reports -- The logic of opinion formation -- Definitions of cause, mechanism, and manner -- Global approach -- Synthesis of mechanism, cause, and manner -- Competing diseases and injuries -- Degree of certainty -- Dignosis in tabular format -- Purpose -- Structure -- Diagnosis or finding?- What to include -- Cause of death as diagnosis -- Completeness and etiologic specificity -- Diagnosis in Narrative Format: The Summary and opinion report -- Purpose -- Structure -- History -- Autopsy Findings -- Opinions -- Part III. Other reports -- Ancillary laboratory reports -- Integration and investigation by pathologist -- Purpose -- Structure -- Case identification -- Background Information -- Environment -- Body -- Actions Taken -- Animal bones -- Purpose -- Structure -- Content -- Part IV. Style -- Construction -- Sentences -- Paragraphs -- Abbreviations -- Parentheses -- Adjectives -- Verbs -- Natural indexing -- Dictating to avoid editing -- Attorneys’ rules of construction -- Inserting minor opinions -- Word Order -- Terminology -- Anatomical Terminology -- Latin and Greek -- Slang -- Brand names -- General Terminology.