Book: The Pathological Casebook of Dr. Frances McGill – New Edition

Myrna L. Petersen
Published by Ideation Entertainment Inc

Review by Michelle Shaw

Crime novels are my go-to genre, so I was thrilled to discover this biography of Saskatchewan’s own Sherlock Holmes – Dr. Frances McGill, Canada’s first female pathologist and a pioneer in forensic medicine. Although she grew up in Manitoba, her career was spent almost entirely in Saskatchewan, where she contributed to public health initiatives such as anti-flu vaccines during the 1918 pandemic, free venereal disease clinics, and early allergy testing.

McGill is best known for her work as a forensic pathologist. Starting in 1923, she assisted the RCMP and local authorities with criminal investigations, performing autopsies and attending trials. Initially met with skepticism, her expertise eventually earned recognition, including being named the first Honorary Surgeon to the RCMP in 1946. She traveled across the province by dog team, sled, snowshoes, boat, airplane, and horseback.

Petersen’s research is meticulous, drawing on interviews, newspapers, archives, courthouse records, and McGill’s RCMP files. The book reads like a true crime novel, covering cases such as deaths by arsenic, carbon dioxide poisoning, and mysterious bran muffin fatalities, along with well-known cases like the Sand Dune Murders, Straw Stack Murders, and the Kaeser Case. This new edition includes material from three additional case files.

While the book’s typeface can be challenging to read, it’s well worth the effort. Dr. McGill’s life and career are an inspiring testament to a woman who excelled in a male-dominated field and left a lasting legacy in forensic medicine.

Available at your local bookstore or www.skbooks.com.