Recent Book: Advocacy at Petty Sessions
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X5903200416 |
| Published date | 01 October 1959 |
| Date | 01 October 1959 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
F.G.T.
adopted.
The
specific chemical action of numerous industrial poisons is
detailed together with their toxic concentrations
and
threshold limit values
in the atmosphere.
Abrief consideration of food poisons describes in general terms the
different means by which poisonous
matter
can
enter
foodstuffs and lists a
number
of illustrative cases of food poisoning. In the same
chapter
a
short
account is given of some
common
poisonous plants
and
snakes found in
America.
Radiation
hazards receive abrief treatment of a general character;
chemical
warfare
agents
are
considered in a little greater detail
under
the
headings of vesicants, lung irritants, lachrymators, nose irritants and nerve
gases. An outline of "self-aid" in gas warfare and the use of gasmasks and
protective clothing completes the account.
Aconcluding chapter contains a"scheme for the identification of poisons"
which
"can
be carried
out
with
equipment
generally available in high
school."
This
presumably is for the use of the science teachers mentioned
in the preface as being
"asked
to assist in investigations of poisoning in
areas where they
are
the principal scientific personnel."
It
is to be
doubted
whether they will be much helped in identifying an
unknow
npoison by
their reading of this chapter. It is
not
an
account
to which an analyst
would refer,
and
to the
layman
it would convey little.
It
is difficult to agree with
the
claim on the jacket of this publication
that
this is an "indispensable reference
book
that
will find a place in every
home
and
industrial plant,
and
will be highly useful
In
criminal investigations
and
other
police work. in scientific research. medicine, pharmacology. civil
defence and many related professional fields."
Nor
can it be considered
likely to become "a
standard
work on poisons."
B.
FRASER
HARRISON:
Advocacy
at Petty Sessions. Sweet &Maxwell. ISs.
THIS
IS
THE
SECOND
EDITION
of a
work
first published in 1956 and the fact
that
there is a second edition is testimony enough to the demand
for
such a
book.
Advocacy is an
art
which has, of course, to be practised within the con-
fines of the rules of evidence.
The
author,
with a judicious blend of law,
procedure
and
practical hints, has managed to compress asurprising wealth
of
information
into one slim volume. With the help of this book. the young
advocate (and
perhaps
some
older
ones),
should
be able to appreciate fully
what those rules are.
This book is 'easy to read and written in simple, lucid language. Obviously
a small book cannot claim to be an exhaustive treatise on advocacy,
particularly when it does not restrict itself to procedure in
Court
but deals
in addition with such
important
matters as preliminary interviews with, and
the taking of statements from, witnesses and clients. Nevertheless it provides
a firm
foundation
on which the young advocate can build.
Mr.
Fraser
Harrison
offers his book to police officers as well as to young
barristers and solicitors.
It
is
probably
true
to say
that
it is designed
primarily for the qualified advocate
rather
than
for the unqualified police
advocate
and
because the role of the qualified advocate in Petty Sessions is
more
usually concerned with defence
than
prosecution, the emphasis is
rather
on the defence
than
on the prosecution.
The
book
is no less
valuable
to the policeman because of that. To be a successful prosecutor (or
should
one describe a police advocate as a neutral presenter of facts?) requires an
acute appreciation of the role of the defence advocate, for the two roles
are complementary. .
Some police officers are advocates
more
by force of clrcl!mstances
than
by inclination or
perhaps
aptitude.
They
ar~
usually unqualified, .generally
tolerated as distinct
from
accepted and. all
In
all, are not
happy
In
Court.
In some instances a
contributory
factor
to their unhappiness is their own
technical deficiency.
They
hope
to play the game accordmg to the. rules
but
omit
to
learn
them.
This
book
provides
them
with an
opportumty
of re-
dressing their sins of omission.
The
book is well worth aplace o.n the
book
shelves of all budding Marshall Halls, even if they be unqualified police
advocates.
One
can go
further
and
say
that
policemen who never fill
the
284 October-December. 1959
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