Autopsies for the Armchair Enthusiast
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley January 5, 2022
Author Dr Meryl Broughton.
Distributor: Bad Apple Press
ISBN:
Publisher: Bad Apple Press
Release Date: November 2021
Website: https://badapplepress.com.au
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For those of you settling into a summer break and wondering what to read, Autopsies for the Armchair Enthusiast, may not be your first choice but should definitely be one of your choices. Why?
Well, because whether we like it or not, we have a real fascination with death, whether it be on TV, at the movies, usually not our own, but other peoples and if we are honest really want to know the ins and outs of so much that happens but is seldom discussed, which makes the subject of what happens after we die even more fascinating.
Dr Meryl Broughton was a country Doctor for most of her years of practice, but always had a fascination with the human body: a fascination that began when her younger sister invited her for a tour of the then Pathology House associated with Royal Perth Hospital in Perth, back in the 1970’s.
From there, her fascination led her to study more about Pathology than any other aspect of Medicine for a short period of time. Life eventually saw her spending her years in Country Medical practices, which due to distance and often time, came with an option of becoming the ‘Coroner’ or forensic pathologist should a death occur in unusual or unexpected circumstances.
In Autopsies for the Armchair Enthusiast she shares with respect, some of the many cases she ‘investigated’ for the State Coroner’s office, always impressed at just what the human body can tell, especially after death. She also notes that often what this information also does is allows medical science to understand more fully what happens when death occurs and what has contributed to this result.
She often marveled, as a person working with both the living and the dead, what may have appeared to have been the obvious cause of death was, so often not. One thing the various cases documented will do though, is make sure you get a health check if you are overdue, maybe change your lifestyle to include more exercise, a better diet and a healthier approach to stress and time management.
Written with a light touch, the journey through the various aspects of how, why, when and what, is a fascinating read and one that, even though it is dealing with the final, final in life, shows how so much positive can be gained from an autopsy.