A Book of Booze.

Victor Gollancz. London. 1974.. pp. 207, (i) blank. Very good unclipped dust wrapper, author's inscription - For Kay and Denis warm regards Colin 23 Mar 75. *Recipient was F. D. M. HOCKING, pathologist................. 'The pathologist Dr Denis Hocking did 35 000 examinations for the Cornish coroner starting in the 1930s. Before that all postmortem examinations were done by general practitioners in primitive mortuaries. Dr Hocking examined only one body in the home. "The widow refused permission to remove the body and also refused to let me do it on the kitchen table. One can sympathise with this! So I had to do it on the edge of a large double bed. To my credit I did not spill a drop of blood on the bedclothes." He was author of : Hocking FDM. Bodies and crimes: a pathologist speaks. Lewes: Book Guild; 1992.