Song Ci (1186–1249) was probably the first forensic scientist. He recorded all the known forensic techniques at the time in his book known as the
Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified.
Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564), imperial physician to the court of Emperor
Charles V, revolutionized the practice of medicine by providing detailed descriptions of the
anatomy of the human body, which were based on his
dissections of cadavers and
autopsies. In 1537, aged just 22, Vesalius performed public dissections to show how the human body worked, and became professor of medicine at
Padua University. He insisted that his medical students should perform dissections. His work "
De Humani Corporis Fabrica" was
groundbreaking in the history of
medical publishing and is considered to be a major step in the development of
scientific medicine.
Paul Zacchias was also one of the earliest figures of medical jurisprudence, with association with the
Papal States and
Catholic Church. Zacchias was the personal physician to
Pope Innocentius X and
Pope Alexander VII, as well as legal adviser to the
Rota Romana. His most well known book,
Quaestiones medico-legales (1621–1651) established
legal medicine as a topic of study. Zacchias work contains
superstitious views on
magic,
witches, and
demons which were widely held at the time. Medical jurisprudence had a chair founded at the
University of Edinburgh in 1807, first occupied by
Andrew Duncan, the younger. It was imposed on the university by the administration of
Charles James Fox, and in particular
Henry Erskine working with
Andrew Duncan, the elder. In the 19th century two new tools appear:
Forensic psychiatry (to determine the
mental health and blameworthiness of a suspect), and
forensic toxicology (giving evidence in cases as intentional poisonings and
drug use). In the United Kingdom, the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine was established as a Faculty of the
Royal College of Physicians in 2006 to develop and maintain the highest possible standards of
competence and professional
integrity in forensic and legal medicine. The specialty covers professionals working in three related disciplines: forensic medical practitioners (forensic physicians, forensic pathologists, sexual assault examiners, and child
physical and
sexual assault examiners); medico-legal advisers; and medically qualified
coroners. ==Scope==