The historical collection of the Vienna Institute for Forensic Medicine is the oldest and largest of its kind. This book was written by Eduard V. Hofmann, a world-famous Viennese coroner. It explores the evolution of the collection of pathological-anatomical specimens, from its beginnings in 1796 under the supervision of J.P. Frank, the director of the General Hospital of Vienna, to the collection’s expansion and surge in cultural importance by Carl V. Rokitansky. Under Eduard V. Hofmann, the preparations of specimens relevant to forensic medicine were separated, and the systematic development of an independent, specific collection began. The museum property today includes more than 2000 specimens, from police autopsies of violent deaths, or sudden traumatic accidents, this collection makes for a vivid and enthralling look into the limits of the human body. The book contains illustrated texts on the history of forensic medicine, legal history, the history of the Vienna Institute for Forensic Medicine, and some exemplary forensic medicine cases in the history of Viennese crime. This rare, first-edition book has been out of print since 2008, and also includes examples of forensic medical reports for sensational Viennese criminal cases. The image section contains 262 color photographs, another 175 color images illustrate the text.