Sex identification from cranial capacity of adult human skulls.

Cranial capacity constitutes one of the most important characters for determining the racial differences. However, few studies exist that have evaluated the sexual dimorphism of cranial capacity and its significance in determining the sex of an individual. A craniometric study was conducted to differentiate sex from intracranial volumes of dry human skulls. The study was done on 160 dry human skulls (100 males and 60 females) in the department of forensic medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal (M.P.), during the year 2005 – 2006. Skulls chosen for the present study were of adult age only. Dry, hard mustard seed of uniform size were used to fill the cranial cavity to determine the capacity. Mean cranial capacity of male skulls was found to be 1302.95 + 108.8 c.c. (range 1070 – 1560 c.c.), while in female skulls the mean cranial capacity was found 1179.92 + 97.08 c.c. (range 1000 – 1420 c.c.). A highly significant difference (p value <0.01) was observed between the intracranial volume of male and female skulls were compared. This data is expected to be of Clinical, Forensic, Anthropological and Genetic Importance

Nomenclature for knot position in hanging A study of 200 cases.

Hanging is one of the common methods of committing suicide world wide. Position of the knot, in hanging cases is important as it determines the post-mortem findings of the head and face and can also be used to predict the expected autopsy findings. Although hanging has been described in forensic literature since ages, there has been no proper scientific nomenclature for classifying the position of knot in hanging cases. This paper describes a new nomenclature of exact knot position on the neck based on commonly used anatomical landmarks with self explanatory terms of classification, so that it can be understood and used by the autopsy surgeons and the pathologists with ease. In the present study 200 cases of hanging were studied retrospectively and position of knot is classified according to a newly described nomenclature. The new nomenclature classifies the position of knot into 6 major classes each of which are further subdivided into 3 subcategories thus making 18 different positions on each side of neck. The most common position of knot was found at occipitomastoid region (32%) and the least common position being at mental region (2%).

Aluminium phosphide poisoning autopsy findings.

At prospective study to observe the gross and histopathological findings in Aluminium Phosphide Poisoning was undertaken on medicolegal autopsy cases brought to the department of Forensic Medicine. Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal. The study was undertaken, as Aluminium Phosphide Poisoning has become the commonest poisoning in central India over the last few years. 50 chemically confirmed autopsy cases were included in the present study and were examined grossly in detail and samples of tissue from various organs were stained by haemotoxylin eosin and observed microscopically. Several gross autopsy findings have been observed and are included in this paper. The present study is the largest autopsy series reported on Aluminum Phosphide, which includes the histopathological findings of various organs. and observations made earlier by the workers have also been compared.

A study of serum enzymal changes after death and its correlation with time since death.

A prospective study was underteken as a part of postgraduate thesis work on quantitative serum enzymal changes after death in the Deptt. of Forensic Medicine GMC Bhopal (M.P.) in 1999-2002. A total of one hundred study cases and ten control cases were randomly selected after screening. The sera was assayed biochemically by photoelectric colorimetry for an imotransfereases (AST & ALT) and serum acid phosphatase. The enzymal levels were plotted against known postmortem interval. The graphical records were studied with a view to ascertain whether such assyas could be of any help to calculate time since death routinely.

Trends of organophosphorus poisoning in Bhopal region an autopsy based study.

Organophosphorus pesticides are frequently used group in agriculture, forestry and public health and hence they are easily accessible. The study was therefore undertaken to evaluate in depth the various trends of acute organophosphorus poisoning cases and to evaluate the influencing factors and precipitating factors. This study which was made in Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal from June 1999, to May 2001, deciphers the various individual compounds belonging to Organophosphorus group in accordance with the chemical analysis done in Forensic Science laboratory of Medicolegal Institute Bhopal.