Introduction to Forensic

Medicine

By Dr Kamran Ullah
Forensic dept NMC
Objectives

Definition(forensic medicine and toxicology ) Case study

History of forensic
Assignment and
medicine
recommended books
Branches of forensic
medicine
Forensic medicine

Definition
“it is the subject concerned with the application of
medical and paramedical scientific knowledge to
certain branches of law both civil and criminal “

It concerns with medical aspects of law

Forensic medicine

•A person may die suddenly ; Rule out poisoning

•A person injured on eye may fake blindness : medical exam

can reveal the truth

•A women may complain that she has been raped .. Medical

exam can reveal the real sitution
History of Forensic
Medicine

Exact date not known

Egyptians and Chinese contributed initially .

First book written by Chinese xi yaun lu with the title of

“’washing away the wrongs”

In 16th century European medical doctors started collected

data regarding the modes of death .
History of Forensic
Medicine cont..

Finger prints was developed in 1859 by William

DNA profiling in 1984

In the 20 th century great work done in forensic ,British

pathologist found more and more to help in administration of
law.
Branches
Forensic Pathology
Forensic psychiatry
Clinical Forensic Medicine
Forensic Serology
Forensic Toxicology

………….
Branches cont…

Forensic Pathology
deals with the study of the cause and manner of death by
examination of a dead body

•Sudden and unexpected deaths

•Death in police custody, in prison, and correctional
institutions
•Deaths with suspicion, i.e., those that may be
due to violence
Branches cont…

Forensic Psychiatry
It studies, evaluates, and identifies mentally-related
illnesses and human behavior to obtain legal evidence.

Forensic psychiatrists consult and testify regarding consent

competency, treatment recommendations, and assessment
of future risk of criminals.
Branches cont…

Clinical forensic medicine

involves an evaluation and interpretation of injuries and
illness in living individuals.

To conduct medical examination and assessments of victims a

nd assailants of violence, physical abuse, and sexual assault

To assess extent of injury

Branches cont…

Forensic Serology
deals with the study of serological and DNA analyses of
bodily (physiological) fluids for the purpose of identification

but is not limited to blood, semen, saliva, and dental pulp

from victims and assailants collected at crime scenes

Paternity tests usually are also performed by forensics

serologists.
Branches cont…

Forensic Toxicology
is an interdisciplinary field applying the methods of analytical
chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology to the analysis and
interpretation of drugs and chemicals in biological samples for
legal purposes.

must determine which toxic substances are present, in what

concentrations, and the probable effect of those chemicals on
the person.
Case study
Case study (cont..

Thirty year old lady

Widow ( deceased was a widow )

Hanging from the bough of a “keekar” tree in a forest

A shawl tied around her neck, which belonged to the deceased.

?
Case study ( cont..

•Cause of death by all looks and standards seemed to be by hanging

•neck ligature mark

•There was evidence of bruising on and around carotid vessels

Case study ( cont..

•Cause of death by all looks and standards seemed to be by hanging

•neck ligature mark

•There was evidence of bruising on and around carotid vessels

•So it was consider as a suicide initially (A divorced young lady in the

village would have several reasons to commit suicide )
Case study ( cont..

•The missing Earrings

•father of the deceased told that the deceased was always wearing
earrings , which is now missing

•Which created doubts so the police with help of magistrate requested

an autopsy examination of the deceased.
Case study ( cont..
Autopsy

•true her ears were without any earring but there was no fresh or recent
injury in her ears.

•Ligature mark was there but no vital reaction to the mark

•She had abrasions on the upper front of her both legs and also over
right side lower outer front of the abdomen.

•On pelvic exam there were signs of assault

Case study ( cont..

•Mean while two boys were arrested by police trying to sell the
earrings of the deceased ( and the possible suspect involve )

•Samples were already sent during autopsy

•And the results confirms the involvement of the particular two

suspects
Confession

•They confessed that one of them raped her. They then rendered her
unconscious during throttling.

•They also confessed of having created a scene of hanging. According to

them in her efforts to escape she even fell and sustained some injuries on
the front of her legs.

•Just because she removed her earrings herself to offer them for letting
her go there was no injury on her ears
Confession cont..

They hanged her for two reasons. First they had doubt that she had not
died and was still alive. They were so skeptical about her death that even
after hanging her, one of them came back to the scene after sometime to
make sure that she was really dead.

Another reason for hanging her, they told, was that they knew by creating
a scene of hanging, even if she was noticed no one would suspect them.
Assignment

On a piece of paper with ur name and roll number

Def of forensic medicine
Branches their def
Make at least five mcqs out of the topic covered
Books

1. Parikh's Text book of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and

Toxicology by C.K. Parikh 6th Ed.,
2. G. Principles and Practice of Forensic Medicine by Prof.
Nasib R. Awan.
3. Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology by Dr. Siddique
Hussain
4. Islami Jamiat talaba notes
Questions
& Comments