Following presentation deals with introduction to forensic medicine, its fundamental aspects and scope.

1. Death Investigation
BY: Prof. Mayank David Raiborde

2. Fundamental aspects and scope
of forensic medicine

3.  Forensic Medicine or Legal Medicine
deals with the application of Medical
Knowledge to AID in the administration
of Justice.
 EG-applying the medical knowledge in
deciding cases of injuries, murder,
suicide, accidents, sexual offences,
poisoning, etc.
 It‘s a Practical Science Bridging the
LAW & MEDICINE.(Medical Aspects of
Law).

4.  Forensic medicine is mostly an exercise of
commonsense, combined with the application
of knowledge and experience, already
acquired in the study of other branches of
medicine, surgery
 Three things are needed for success of
doctor in giving evidence :
(1) the power of observation,
(2) a wide range of exact knowledge,
(3) the power of deduction.
 The power of constructive imagination is also
essential when there are no more facts to be
observed, and no further inferences to be
drawn

5.  Medical jurisprudence (juris= law;
prudentia = knowledge) deals with
legal responsibilities of the physician.
 with particular reference to those
arising from physician-patient
relationship, such as medical
negligence cases, consent, rights and
duties of doctors, serious professional
misconduct, medical ethics, etc

6. Forensic Medicine can be broadly
divided into :-
1. Clinical Forensic Medicine :- deals
with the examination of the LIVING
individuals.
 This includes those who have been
traumatised physically and/or sexually,
but who have not succumbed to their
injuries, those who are under the
influence of alcohol and/or drugs in
relation to such matters as driving,
human rights abuses

7. 2. Forensic Pathology
 Deals with interpretation of Autopsy
Findings in the Medico-Legal
investigation of Death (Forensic
Thanatology – study of Death).
 It also study the effects of violence or
unnatural disease in its various forms
in or on the human body, in
determining the cause and manner of
death in case of violence, suspicious,
unexplained, unexpected, sudden and
medically unattended deaths.

8. Medical Ethics :
 Deals with the Moral Principals which
should guide the members of the
Medical Profession in their dealings
with each other, their Patients and the
State.

9.  Charaka Samhita lays down an
elaborate Code regarding the training,
duties, privilege and Social Status of
Physicians.

10. History of Forensic Medicine
Kautilya‘s Arthashastra states that Death can be
caused by :-
 Stopping the Breathing by 4 ways (Strangling,
Hanging, Asphyxiation or Drowning)
 Physical Injuries in 2 ways (by Beating or by
Throwing from a Height)
 Poisoning (poisons, snake or insect bite, or
narcotic Drugs)
Kautilya‘s Arthashastra describes the necessity of
Autopsy in establishing the Cause of Death.
It states that a Post-mortem shall be conducted on
any case of Sudden (Unnatural) Death, after
smearing the body with oil to bring out Bruises,
Swellings and other injuries.

11.  1 st post-mortem was conducted at
Bologna, Italy.
 In India, The first Recorded Medico-
Legal Autopsy was conducted in
Chennai by Dr Edward Bulkley on
28th Aug 1693 on the body of Mr.
James Wheeler, Member of Council.

12.  Dr. Jaising P Modi was first Indian
Physician who handled cases of
medico-legal nature provided norms to
suit the Indian atmosphere and
conditions in crime investigation
marking the definite role for doctors,
which coined him, the title of Father of
Indian Forensic Medicine.
 He also wrote the first Indian textbook
Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology

13. Scope
 Forensic Medicine deals almost
entirely with Crime against Persons.
 In present days almost all the offences
against the Human Body requires
medical opinion in order to deliver an
impeccable justice in the court of law.
 The primary interest is to provide the
source of information about medical
science to confine the needs of the
Law.

14.  Forensic Medicine is mostly an
exercise of common sense combined
with the application of Knowledge and
experience acquired in the other
branches of medicine
 Forensic Medicine involves
Observation of Facts, Collection of
evidence for the construction of right
inference based on Medico-Legal
Examination.

15.  Doctor- Expert witness to depose
evidence in court of law.
 Cases of sudden death- complete
dependence on medical witness for
knowing causes of death

16. What are the circumstances a doctor
may be called to the court?
A doctor may be called to the court to
testify:
 As an ordinary witness who saw
something happen.
 As a medical practitioner who treated
the patient.
 As an expert witness to give opinion
on matters of science