The Case of the Shapely Shadow

Foreword

From time to time I have tried to emphasize the importance of legal medicine by writing brief forewords to the Perry Mason books and dedicating them to outstanding figures in the field. It is, of course, only natural that nearly all of these men have been doctors of medicine, for the most part those who have specialized in forensic pathology.

I now want to make a dedication to a man who is a lawyer, rather than a doctor, and who has done much to advance the cause of legal medicine.

Marshall Houts, a former member of the FBI, an undercover investigator during the war in foreign countries, an attorney at law, a former college professor in the field of criminal law, has worked with me for years in the Court of Last Resort.

In recent years he has devoted much of his time to the field of legal medicine, trying to see that attorneys understand the importance of having an arsenal of medical facts at their command; trying to see that the average general practitioner who is called as a witness will have some idea of the courtroom procedure, the tricks of cross-examination and a knowledge of the traps which shrewd attorneys quite frequently lay for the medical witness who is more versed in the science of medicine than in a knowledge of courtroom technique.

While a comparatively young man, Houts already has authored several books which have attracted considerable attention: From Evidence to Proof; From Arrest to Release; Courtroom Medicine, and The Rules of Evidence. He is at present working upon a more ambitious program — one by which the medical doctor who has had little or no courtroom experience but who finds himself a witness in a case, can understand the problems of the procedures involved in court. He is also editor in chief of Trauma, a bimonthly medico-legal publication which gives lawyers an invaluable aid in coping with the medical problems which arise in the courtroom.

For years we have been close personal friends. We have worked together on investigations for the Court of Last Resort and many of the Court of Last Resort presentations I have made from time to time have been founded upon the investigative work of Houts.

The reason I am dedicating this book to him, however, is because of the outstanding work he is doing in the field of legal medicine.

It is important that the public understand the importance of legal medicine and that more and more specialists in the field be developed. Modern civilization is becoming quite complex and we must keep pace with the numerous problems which are presented by this complex existence.

Marshall Houts is making a great contribution in the field and so I dedicate this book to my friend

MARSHALL HOUTS.

Erle Stanley Gardner