5. FORENSIC MEDICINE
The search for truth –
Is the essence of Forensic Medicine &
Sciences.
This truth forms an essential link between:
• the enforcement of law
• the protection of public
• in the administration of justice
9. Historical Perspectives
• 4000-3000 BC
• 3000-1000 BC
• Imhotep first M/L expert (chief
justice and personal physician to
Pharoah zoster).
• Doctor was punished for wrong
practice
• Stab injuries were considered lethal.
• Fracture of skull could occur without
any overlying soft tissue injury.
• Criminal abortion was punishable
• Mummification
10. 1000-50 BC
• Greece(Hippocrates: medical ethics,
lethality of wounds, cause of sudden death)
• Aristotle(father of modern family planning:
advocated population control by inducing
abortion before animation of fetus)
• Novus Actus Interveniens
• Res Ipsa Loquiter
11. Tabulae Duodecem (competency of mentally
ill, gestational period for development of
human fetus, euthanasia)-Romans
Antistius(opined that among 23 injuries on the
body of Julius Ceaser,(Roman dictator) the one
that entered the chest between first and 2nd rib
was the mortal one)
16-17th AD; Wounds were opened to show
depth and direction
12. FORENSIC MEDICINE
• It is a branch of medicine that interprets or
establishes the fact in civil/ criminal cases.
• It is used to assist the court or attorney for
civil / criminal cases.
13. A headless female corpse…..
Dead body of middle aged man found in
desert without shalwar……
Burnt dead body of female….
Fight between two political parties & one
person died…..
Death of 17 years old young male after
taking cough syrup……
14. • Subject concerned with the knowledge of law
in relation to the practice of medicine.
• It deals with those relationships which are
generally recognized as having legal
consequences.
Medical Jurisprudence
Juris (law) & Prudential (Knowledge)
15. E.g.
a. Doctor-patient relationship-
Professional secrecy, treatment & diagnosis.
a. Doctor- doctor relationship- unfair competition
b. Doctor- State relationship-
Not attending court
Not informing homicidal cases
Public health
16. • It is concerned with public, community and
environmental health.
• It deals with the medical knowledge to
prevent the spread of disease.
• It is the responsibility of the state to preserve
the health of the public.
State Medicine
18. Fundamentals
RMP has duties to inform public health authorities to
Birth & death
Notifiable diseases
Restaurant food poisoning
Nature of injuries
Simple – grevious
Qisas & diyat ordinance
Cause of death, Section 174 – Section 176
Suicidal, homicidal or accidental
19. Weapon
Probable duration between injuries & death
Probable duration between death & postmortem.
Weapon & cause of death + autopsy
Reconstruct the incidence
Sexual assaults
Poisoning
Ante mortem/ postmortem
Trace evidence
Labeling/ sealing
23. To produce physicians, well informed about medico-legal
responsibilities in the practice of medicine
To have the ability to make observations
To infer conclusions by logical decisions
To set inquiries on the right track in criminal matters
To connect the medico legal problems
To acquire knowledge of law in relation to medical
practice, medical negligence and respect for codes of
medical ethics.
24. OBJECTIVES
a. KNOWLEDGE
At the end of the course the student should be able to:-
• Identify the basic medico-legal aspects in
hospital and general practice.
• Define the medico-legal responsibilities of
general physician.
• Appreciate the physician’s responsibilities in
criminal matters and respect the codes of
medical ethics.
25. • Diagnose, manage and identify legal aspects of
common acute and chronic poisonings.
• Describe the medico-legal aspects and findings of
post-mortem examination in case of death due to
unnatural conditions and poisonings.
• Detect occupational and environmental poisoning
and understand prevention and epidemiology of
common poisoning and their legal aspects
particularly pertaining to Workmen’s compensation
Act.
• Describe the general principles of analytical
toxicology
26. b. SKILLS
At the end of the course the student should be able to:-
• Make observations and logical inferences in order to
initiate inquiries in criminal matters and medico-legal
problems.
• Diagnose and treat common emergencies in
poisoning and manage chronic toxicity.
• Make observations and interpret findings at post
mortem examinations.
• Observe the principles of medical ethics in the
practice of his/her profession.
33. Clinical Rotation:
1. Students will be imparted training related to cases:
Death and changes after death
Traumatology
Medical Negligence
Concent
Dying Declaration/Dying Deposition
Firearm injuries
Law
34. 2. Familiarity with post mortem procedures
(observation)
• exposure to autopsies
• training in basic evaluation of post mortem
findings
• preparation of post mortem report
35. 3. INTEGRATION
• DHQ Hospital,Rawalpindi
• Shifa International Hospital.Islamabad
37. FACULTY
Dr. Muhammad Arshad (MBBS, DMJ, FCPS)
(Associate Professor and HOD)
Dr. Sadia Syed (MBBS, Mphil. CHPE)
(Assistant Professor)
Dr. Yumna (MBBS)
Dr. Fatima (MBBS)
Dr. Hira (MBBS)
Dr. Tooba (MBBS)
43. RECOMMENDED BOOKS
• Principles and Practice of Forensic Medicine
(Nasib-R- Awan)
• Simpson’s Forensic Medicine (Knight, B.)
• Forensic Medicine & Toxicology. 5th Ed 1999
(Parikh, C.K)
Text book of Forensic Medicine & Toxiclogy
2nd Ed.2010(Nageshkumar G Rao)
Notas do Editor
Goode AW and Cameron JM. Medicine, Science, and the Law 2000; 40:2-3