Der Pathologe weiss alles... aber zu spät

For the first time in paperback! During the autopsy of the unfortunate victim of a treacherous assassination, the court-appointed pathologist discovered, among other things, an intricate tattoo on the left shoulder. This was astonishing, as the deceased was neither a cool 90s girl nor a shady figure from the underworld. The body before him was none other than Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Pathologist Hans Bankl is known far beyond his professional circle for his inexhaustible collection of quirky medical stories. A passionate collector, he owns over 200 medical records and autopsy reports of famous personalities – from the autopsy report of Emperor Maximilian II to the announcement of Leonard Bernstein's death. Hans Bankl does not shy away from making fine jabs at his medical colleagues: for instance, when he takes aim at the 'gods in white' or dissects the strange language of physicians. The anecdotes and stories from the world of medicine, always served with a – sometimes delicate, sometimes robust – touch of humor, bring a smile to the reader's face. Yet behind the lightheartedness often lies something worth pondering: Who has authority over a deceased person? What is the difference between brain death and cardiac death? And what is the significance of the Hippocratic Oath?.