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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What are characteristics of an alcoholic's liver?

2. Why did Baden not do an autopsy on Nelson Rockefeller?

3. The baby Baden is called to investigate immediately following the death of the lady at the benefit died from what?

4. How often could autopsies be performed in Massachusetts?

5. Which autopsies are done incompetently much of the time?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain what Baden notes occurs by the French Revolution as a way to bring bodies to medical schools for science.

2. Explain why Baden believes coroners are often in trouble as a result of their positions.

3. Summarize Baden's beliefs about what the DA expects an ME to do during autopsy, when issuing a cause of death or other findings.

4. List the three tests used to determine how long someone has been dead, and mention what they are.

5. What happened to much of the evidence in the Kennedy assassination case, and what does Baden believe occurred?

6. Describe how Baden explains why the father of the female drug addict in Chapter Two has little emotion.

7. What was Humes' excuse about the faulty autopsy, and is this excuse valid?

8. Describe the symptoms of strangulation, as seen during autopsy.

9. Describe why there was controversy surrounding the death of Elvis.

10. Discuss why Baden believes how someone dies is a reflection of how they live.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Chapter 4, Baden discusses the history of the office of the medical examiner. In detail, discuss this history. How did the position begin in the reign of King Richard I? What was the position like by the eighteenth century? What event began to change the view of this position, according to Scotland Yard? What began to happen by the French Revolution? How was the position seen in the colonies? What was the view of the ME by the early nineteenth century? What is the current view? Be sure to list details from the book in your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

There are several cases in the book where individuals take part in the death of another person, but are determined to be innocent of wrongdoing. These cases include the case of Daphne Mellon, the doctor and nurse in Chapter 10, and the Sutton Place banker, Robert. Choose one of these cases, and discuss the following:

1.) What was the cause of death for the victim?

2.) What were the circumstances surrounding their death?

3.) Why was no one convicted of their murder?

4.) Do you think that the person(s) involved in the victim's death should have been brought to trial? Why or why not? What is the difference between your chosen case, and the case of Cathy Smith, who served time for giving John Belushi his last drug injection? Why was she brought to justice, but the people in your chosen case were not? What does this say about the current system?

Be sure to go into specific detail about why these deaths were considered accidents, even though someone else was present, or contributed to the death.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 1 of the book, Baden discusses the concept of celebrity death, and the effect of a flawed autopsy on the perception of foul play surrounding the death. Do you think conspiracy theories are derived from the life of the celebrity, or the circumstances surrounding their death, or both? Why? What aspects of life or death help frame a conspiracy theory following death? Why do some celebrities suffer such beliefs after their death and some do not? Based on this, do you think forensic science can have an effect on these ideas? Why or why not? What does this say about forensic science?

(see the answer keys)

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