THE STATE OF PATHOLOGY IN ONTARIO

After my first reading of yesterday's Waterloo Region Record article titled "Pathologists now work in the light"; my first impression was that this was a puff piece extolling the virtues of a so called new day regarding forensic pathology in Ontario. Upon rereading, while still skeptical about the metaphors around working in the light; I have seen a pretty honest assessment of how bad things were a few short years ago. We all remember Dr. Charles Smith and his talents and abilities for finding criminal causes for childrens' deaths when none existed. Whether shaken baby syndrome or head injuries caused by falls he seemed to magically be able to support the Crown's case of foul play. One of his most egregiously wrong conclusions involved an uncle who had allegedly raped and strangled his young niece. It turned out that she had died of natural causes but does anyone think that a family going through that horror will ever forgive or forget words and actions towards the wrongly accused? It's strange but I believe I have a recollection of a few scandals with Ontario's Institute of/Department of ??? Forensic Sciences from a couple of decades earlier. Again my recollection is that this supposedly nuetral, scientific body was simply being used as a backup to the Crown when they had a weak case. Clearly as indicated in the Record's article that while science should be paramount; nevertheless human systems of accountability and peer review are absolutely necessary as well. Psuedo science is actually worse than no science when it is practised for a predetermined outcome.