Pathological Casebook of Dr. Frances McGill – New Edition

The Pathological Casebook of Dr Frances McGill – New Edition
by Myrna L. Petersen
Published by Ideation Entertainment Inc
Review by Michelle Shaw
$25.00 ISBN 9780973889383

Crime novels are my go-to genre, so I was thrilled to discover this biography of Saskatchewan’s very own Sherlock Holmes – a forensic pathologist who worked closely with the RCMP for many decades and was involved in hundreds of cases.

Dr Frances McGill (1882-1959) was Canada’s first female pathologist and a pioneer in forensic medicine. Although she grew up in Manitoba and received her medical degree at the University of Manitoba, her professional life was spent almost entirely in Saskatchewan. As Provincial Bacteriologist and Pathologist for Saskatchewan, and later Director of the Saskatchewan Laboratories, she was involved in numerous lifesaving and life-changing endeavours including producing anti-flu vaccines for the Spanish Influenza Pandemic in 1918 and 1919, setting up free clinics for Venereal Disease throughout the province after World War One (she also set up the first Wasserman tests for Syphilis) and was a forerunner in allergy testing.

But it’s as a Forensic Pathologist that she’s arguably most well-known. In 1923 the Attorney General’s Department asked the Provincial Laboratory to assist with numerous criminal investigations and Dr McGill began to perform autopsies and attend inquests and trials. However, although she had a good reputation in medical circles, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), local police and lawyers were not impressed – “especially when her conclusions differed from their own.” It took “multiple mind-boggling cases” for her to be acknowledged for her expertise. She travelled extensively throughout the province, sometimes journeying there by dog-team, sled, snowshoes, boat, airplane and horseback. In 1946 she was named the first ‘Honorary Surgeon to the RCMP’.

Myrna L. Petersen has done an amazing job with this book and her detailed research is outstanding. At times the book reads like a true crime novel. Her research involved interviewing family members and friends, searching through old newspapers, archives, courthouse records and Dr McGill’s RCMP file. The book covers numerous cases ranging from death by arsenic, carbon dioxide poisoning (a particularly tragic case in the Depression years), and death by bran muffin…or was it? Many well-known cases are covered including The Sand Dune Murders, The Straw Stack Murders and the Kaeser Case.

The book was originally published in September 2005 for Saskatchewan’s centennial year. In 2024, Dr McGill’s legacy as a national historic person of significance was officially recognised by the Government of Canada. This, combined with the rapidly diminishing stock of her original book persuaded Petersen that it was time to reprint. This issue is revised and contains material from three more case files.

Dr Frances McGill was an amazing woman who was not only a pioneer in forensic medicine but succeeded in her profession in what was, at the time, a very very male-dominated society and profession.

My only concern with the book is that it was physically hard to read. The typeface used was Courier (or something similar) presumably to give it a “Casebook” type of feel. But it was not very reader-friendly. However, it’s worth persevering. The book is really worth the read!

THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM.