Forensic Medicine

Forensic Medicine Prof. Meng Xiangzhi

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Introduction  Forensic Medicine also called legal medicine,

deals with the application of medical knowledge to resolve medical problems in the administration of justice.  It is a natural science. 2

Medical jurisprudence deals with legal responsibilities of the physician and problems arising from physician-patient relationship.  It is a complex of all laws and regulation concerning

medicine.  It’s a social science

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Forensic science deals with the application of all the science and technology to aid in the administration of justice.  It includes forensic medicine, trace identification,

handwriting checkup, fingerprint and footprint examination, etc.  It is also a natural science. 4

The subdivision of forensic medicine  Forensic pathology (corpse)  Clinical forensic medicine (living body)  Forensic toxicology (poisoning)  Forensic toxicological analysis (analytical chemistry)  Forensic psychiatry (mental disorder)  Medico-legal physical evidence (forensic serology,

forensic genetics, forensic dentistry, forensic anthropology, etc.)

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Subdivision

Objects

Forensic pathology

corpse

Clinical forensic medicine

Living body

All the clinical techniques

The nature and extent of injury and the grade of disability

Clinician

Forensic toxicology

Corpse and living body

Autopsy and animal experiment

Provide the clue or direction for detecting poison

Pathologist

Forensic toxicological analysis

poison

Forensic psychiatry

Living body

Medico-legal Biological physical evidence matters (blood, semen)

Methods

Aims

Personnel

Autopsy, external and Cause, time and manner Pathologist pathological of death examination

Instrumental detect (gas The qualitative and chromatography) quantitative analysis of poison

Chemist

Psychiatric analysis

Evaluate the psychiatric psychiatrist

DNA analysis and morphological

Individual identification Immunologist (the origin of biological and geneticist matters

observation

state

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Duties of forensic medicine  To determine the cause and manner of death.  To identify the deceased if it is necessary.  To determine the time of death.  To collect evidence that can be used to prove or

disprove an individual’s guilt or innocence.

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 To document any natural disease present.  To document injuries or lack of them, and how the

injuries occurred.  To evaluate the extent of injury and grade of

disability  To provide expert testimony if the case goes to trial.  To checkup blood stains, seminal stains, hair and

other fluids or fragments to provide evidence.

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The object of forensic medicine 1.

Scene investigation

(2) Personnel (3) Procedure: understand of case history-take picture-

(save victim)-primary external examinationproviding some clue for detective-seek for evidence. 9

2.

Examination of living body

(1)

Get permission

(2)

Examination

(3)

Opinion (conclusion) for extent of injury or disability.

3.

Examination of corpse

(1)

External examination

(2)

Autopsy

4.

Examination of physical evidence

5.

Checkup of the medical document 10

The history of forensic medicine  Progress with the development of medicine and law  Originated from the prohibition against suicide  Caecsar’s death  His Yuan Lu published in 1247 (first book about

forensic medicine in the world)  First autopsy by Ambrose Pare in 16th century  First lecture in Leipzig (Germany)

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 physicians was called upon to aid in the solution of

fatal crimes  Institute of forensic medicine was set up in Europe  Landsteiner found ABO groups in 1901(denial

times)  DNA analytical technique invented (confirmative

times) 12

The system of forensic medicine 1.

Coroner system

(2) Originated in 1194 England (3) The coroner is from the crowner (4) Development from lay person to physician to pathologist (5) Replacement by forensic examiner system

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2. Medical examiner system (1)

Originated in 1918 New York City (chief medical examiner)

(2)

Development from physician to pathologist to forensic pathologist

(3)

The duty of investigator

(4)

Procedures of the medical examiner office

3. Institute of forensic medicine systems 4. Other systems (1) Chinese system (2) India system 14

 Police inquest (1) Receive information about violent death (2) Report to the magistrate and go to the scene (3) Investigation (4) Send the corpse to be examined (5) Authorized government doctor and private medical

institution get permission of the state government can perform postmortem examination.

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 Magistrate inquest

(1) Death in police custody, and while under police inquest (2) death due to police shooting (3) death in prison (4) death in psychiatric hospital (5) dowry death (6)exhumation.

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Doctor and law  Physician’s responsibility in criminal

matters Physicians should report crime to magistrate or police officer  Doctors involved in legal actions

As a citizen to be defendant or plaintiff 2. As a defendant due to medical profession 1.

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 Three types of witness 1. An ‘ordinary witness’ or a ‘witness as to fact’ have nothing to do with medical profession. 2. A ‘professional witness’ provides pure facts obtained during his medical work. 3. An ‘expert witness’ provides opinion based on his experience and knowledge. 18

 The doctor in court 1.

Providing witness in a form of medical report.

2.

The medical report is accepted as evidence, if there is no objection.

3.

Go to court, if court summons.

4.

Swear in witness-box

5.

Examination in chief and cross examination

6.

Defence doctor 19