REMINDER: "Rodricus Crawford: Louisiana; Bulletin: Domonique Benn's exclusive News 12 investigation 'Fighting for a Father's Freedom' will be streamed this evening, Monday (November 21) at 10.00 pm local time, on ksla.com;
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STORY: "What motivates somebody to become a forensic pathologist," by reporter Wency Leung, published by The Globe and Mail on November 18 2106. (My thanks to my good friend and mentor David Renegar for bringing this article to my attention. HL);
SUB-HEADING: "Performing autopsies on babies is a grim calling, but in bleak times, Lisa Steele reminds herself of the people she’s helping."
PHOTO CAPTION: "Dr. Lisa Steele is a forensic pediatric pathologist at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, B.C."
GIST: "The bodies arrive at the Royal Inland
Hospital’s morgue by 10 a.m. One of several body-transport companies
typically delivers the child from whichever part of B.C. they’re from.
Dr. Lisa Steele and an autopsy assistant get to work quickly. The babies are first weighed and measured. Then, Steele takes full-body X-rays to look for fractures. She takes nasopharyngial
swabs, inserting extra-thin swabs into the tiny nasal passages to
collect samples from back of the throat, to test for infections. When a baby dies unexpectedly anywhere in British Columbia, it is Dr. Steele’s responsibility to find out why they died. It’s a grim job and one that few are
trained for or would want to do. Steele has completed autopsies on close
to 80 children – some only hours old – over the past two years. For
hours on each case, she inspects and dissects the body, trying to make
sense of what she finds. Occasionally, after an exceptionally tragic
case, she cries. And as with other forensic pathologists across the
country, she bears the scrutiny brought upon their field since
pathologist Charles Smith was disgraced nearly a decade ago. You have to
wonder: Why would anyone do this job? For Steele, the answer lies in a printed e-mail she keeps in her desk drawer.........Pathologists
are often considered
doctors’ doctors. They’re the mystery-solving specialists whom
physicians consult to provide diagnoses based on analyses of tissues,
organs, blood and other samples. Some pathologists sub-specialize in
forensic pathology, which involves determining causes of death based on
the examination of corpses. And among them, an even smaller group has a
special interest in the deaths of children. The practice of pediatric
forensic pathology in Canada came under the microscope a decade ago,
surrounding the 2007-08 Goudge Inquiry in Ontario. The inquiry, led by commissioner Stephen Goudge, was sparked by concerns about wrongful criminal convictions for children’s
deaths, based on the flawed findings of Toronto pathologist Charles
Smith. A coroner’s review found Smith’s reports and testimony
problematic in 20 cases, of which 12 resulted in convictions. The inquiry report, released in 2008,
noted Smith, who was a pediatric pathologist at Toronto’s Hospital for
Sick Children, lacked training or certification in forensic pathology.
In spite of this, he developed a reputation as an expert on suspicious
pediatric deaths and conducted autopsies often in isolation without
consulting his colleagues. Among the many recommendations that came
out of the inquiry were measures to help train and recruit forensic
pathologists to address an “acute” shortage. It also recommended that
once there was a sufficient number of trained experts, post-mortem
examination in all criminally suspicious pediatric cases should be
conducted by certified forensic pathologists with pediatric
forensic experience. The effects of the Goudge
Inquiry rippled through other parts of the country, prompting greater
oversight and accountability. Saskatchewan, for instance, adopted a
policy requiring that in all cases of sudden, unexpected deaths of
infants under the age of one, the autopsy is completed by a forensic
pathologist. Previously, they could also be completed by general
pathologists. In Alberta, all forensic examinations must be conducted by
board-certified forensic pathologists. Since 2011, all completed case
files have undergone peer review by another medical examiner at the
province’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to double-check
the findings. Still, few in Canada perform autopsies on
infants. Ontario has 37 forensic pathologists who do the job. Quebec
has four. In Saskatchewan, the vast majority of pediatric autopsies are
completed by two forensic pathologists. In Alberta, they are done by
seven. B.C.’s coroners service has forensic pathologists in Vancouver,
New Westminster, Penticton and Vernon
who also tackle suspicious infant death autopsies. But Steele is tasked
with all of the non-suspicious cases – that is, all deaths of infants
under the age of one and with no previous medical history – as well as
some of the suspicious ones..........While in training, Steele was inspired by
Dr. Barbara Wolf, a forensic pathologist she met who had worked on
aspects of the O.J. Simpson case. She watched Wolf testify in court and
found her able to give very clear descriptions, while also knowing her
limits on the stand. She didn’t “jump into the realm of, you know,
always/never,” Steele says, noting that even though lawyers and police
want to hear absolute answers about what always occurs or what never
happens under certain circumstances, it’s not so clear-cut in medicine."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/what-motivates-someone-to-become-a-pediatricpathologist-health/article32925755/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/c
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/what-motivates-someone-to-become-a-pediatricpathologist-health/article32925755/PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/c
