This document provides an overview of forensic medicine and toxicology. It defines forensic medicine as a branch of medicine dealing with legal applications of medical knowledge. The document outlines the goals of teaching forensic medicine as producing physicians knowledgeable about medico-legal responsibilities and able to make logical inferences to assist legal inquiries. Main topics covered include thanatology, traumatology, medical jurisprudence, and toxicology. The department of forensic medicine at Shifa College of Medicine is described.

1. FORENSIC MEDICINE &
TOXICOLOGY
Dr Sadia Syed
Assistant Professor

2. Introduction to Forensic Medicine
Forensic is Latin Word for law
Forensic Medicine is Legal Medicine

3. It is branch of medicine which deals
with the application of the principal of
medical knowledge to the purpose of
law and to furthering of justice

4. - FORENSIC MEDICINE
- LEGAL OR STATE MEDINE
- MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE

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

6. Enforcement of
Law Search
for
Truth
Administration of
Justice
PROTECTION OF PUBLIC

7. GRADWOHL’S EXPLANATION
FORENSIC MEDICINE is the key to the past,
the explanation of the present and to some
extent ,a signpost to the future

8. Past Present
Search
For
Truth
Future

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

17. Toxicology
Deals with
• Symptoms
• diagnosis
• methodology of detection
• treatment of poisons

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

20. BRANCHES OF
FORENSIC SCIENCES
• Forensic Pathology
• Forensic Toxicology
• Forensic Anthropometery
• Forensic Anthropology
• Forensic Odontology
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Forensic question documents
• Forensic Criminalistics

21. • Forensic Medical Jurisprudence
• Forensic Engineering
• Forensic Geology
• Cyber / Digital Forensic

22. GOALS OF TEACHING
FORENSIC MEDICINE

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.

27. MEDICAL ASPECT OF LAW

28. LEGAL ASPECT OF MEDICINE

29. MAIN TOPICS
• Thanatology
• Traumatology
• Medico-Legal Autopsy and Artefacts
• Asphyxial Deaths
• Legal Procedures
• Medical Law & Ethics
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Personal Identification

30. • Sexual Jurisprudence
• Infanticide & Non-accidental Trauma to Children and
Child Abuse
• Abortion, pregnancy and delivery

31. TOXICOLOGY
• Corrosive Poisons
• Irritant poisons
• Inebriant poisons
• Somniferous poisons
• Sedatives, Barbiturates – Hypnotics
• Insecticides – (Pesticides)
• Delirient poisons
• Spinal poisons
• Asphyxiants (gases)
• Cardiac poisons
• Food poisoning

32. Instructional Program
• Theory:
LGIS
SGDs

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

36. DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC
MEDICINE & TOXICOLOGY
Shifa College of Medicine,
Shifa Tameer e Millat University

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)

38. OFFICES OF FACULTY

39. MUSEUM

40. Skill LAB

41. MORTUARY

42. JOURNALS
• Log Book

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)