Evolution of forensic medicine in India.

Development of the mankind took millions and millions of years and along with it, medicine also developed to leap and bounds. With development of medicine, legal aspects of it also came into picture, which lead to the development of the subject Forensic Medicine or Medical Jurisprudence. Our religious and mythological literature contains the detailed description of issues related to law and medicine and there solutions.

Dilemma for autopsy surgeon.

Postmortem artifacts are commonly encountered problems in routine. They had to wrong interpretation in number of cases especially at the hands of an inexperienced autopsy surgeon and hence may mislead the course of justice. So it is suggested that all the doctors concerned with medicolegal work, especially autopsies, should be well versed with these artifacts. Then only our opinion will be conclusive and aid in the administration of justice.

A review of pedestrian traffic fatalities.

Pedestrians injured in automobile accidents constitute one of the most frequent serious problems in management for emergency room surgeons. The incidence of deaths in pedestrians is significantly higher than in other road users. This study attempted to analyse the pattern of injuries sustained by 129 pedestrians in road traffic accidents. It was found that the pedestrians were the commonest group of victims involved in fatal road accidents comprising 28.7% of all cases. 83.7% cases were males. There were two peaks of incidence in relation to age; one at childhood (20.9%) and the other in elderly (19.37%). Cars and heavy vehicles were the commonest offending agents comprising 41.9% and 31.8% respectively. The pedestrians themselves were at fault in 43.4% cases. Head injury was seen in 80% cases; followed by lower limb fractures (42.6%), and chest injury (38.8%). The cause of death was head injury in 56.6% cases followed by thoraco-abdominal injuries in 8.5% cases and multiple injuries in 7.8% cases.

Organs: God gifted assets.

The organ shortage is not a medical problem, but a social one. There is a need for greater community awareness and co-operation for organ donation. This is governed by Human Organ Transplantation Act 1994 to regulate organ transplants and promote donations from cadavers. Sadly there is a large gap between the number of suffering patients and those who donate organs. The law itself needs change to rationalize the organ donation in order to stop the illegal trade of organs, because if the dying can’t get organ from dead, they will buy them from the living.

Trends of suicides in north eastern rural Haryana: A retrospective study.

Suicide patterns and rates differ in various populations and cultures. It is known that in most countries that have been studied, more than 90 percent of those who commit suicide have a mental disorder. This behavior, although often triggered by external factors, occurs in vulnerable individuals who have a neurobiological and often familial predisposition. Suicides in rural India are attributed mostly to crushing financial pressures on farmers. Indebtedness, crop failure and the inability to pay back loans due to high rates of interest have led as many as 25,000 peasants in India to commit suicide since the 1990s, according to official figures. The present study was designed to investigate the different methods of self-destruction, age and gender susceptibility to suicide, the groups particularly affected and the underlying motivating factors for such an extreme step among rural North Eastern Haryana people. Various suggestions relating to decreasing the tensions of modern life, proper use and storage of agrochemicals and financial improvement of farmers have been put forward.

Homicides by sharp weapons.

In the present society, which is gradually becoming over democratic it is natural that old values of sanctity of life changes and personality problems develop due to consequent stress of life. This ultimately results in violence. Killing of a human being is one of the most serious or major crimes. Since very long time, different judicial authority to prevent crime and its further occurrence framed laws. The laws were made according to the religious make up of the society but later the laws were according to the emperor’s own convenience. In spite of all these, there has been a phenomenal rise in the incidence of homicide all over the world and also in India. The study was conducted on 200 alleged cases of homicides. The incidence of homicidal deaths was observed as 13.03% with male preponderance and the commonest age affected was 21 to 40 yrs. Out of different weapons used to inflict the injuries on dead bodies of homicides, 31(10.88%) sharp cutting weapons were used. Incised wounds were present maximum 38(29.69%) on head and face. Defence wounds were present in 72(36%) of homicide deaths.

Current scenario of forensic medicine in India.

The subject of Forensic Medicine provides solutions to some of the most urgent concerns in our society, and focuses on the areas in which medicine and human behaviour interface with the law and acts as a clinical investigator providing a vital liaison between the investigative process and court of law. Till date, no importance has been given for the upliftment of this subject. At many places, the department remains on the most dirtiest and neglected part of the college. In this paper, some problems are highlighted and suggestions have been given for saving the future of this important subject in our country.

Cost of medical treatment triggering homicide on attempted suicide.

Modern science has opened lot of venues to save the precious lives. The media is responsible for wide spread acquaintance of these developments even to the economically down trodden. These highly advanced methods of intensive care are definitely very costly are beyond the reach of even a middle class family but this notion do not immediately restrict anybody from obtaining such kind of aids.

Medicolegal study of mechanical injuries in culpable homicides (excluding deaths due to rash and negligent act).

Trend of homicides by different means keeps on changing with the passage of time and development in different parts of the world. A study was conducted on 200 alleged cases of homicides (excluding deaths due to rash and negligent act). Different profiles from demographic and medicolegal aspects were evaluated. The incidence of homicidal deaths was observed as 12.03%, with male preponderant (82.5%) and the commonest age affected was 21 to 40 yrs (51.5%). Rural population was mainly affected. The blunt weapon (50.88%) was commonly used to inflict the injuries and 'abrasion' was the commonest manifestation (32.73%). The defence wounds were present in 36% cases. Head was the main seat of injury (13.65%). The cause of death in most cases was hemorrhage and shock (31.5%), followed by injury to brain (28.5%). Only 16% cases of these received hospital care. This necessitates the prompt medical care to be provided in the 'Golden Hour' to save valuable human life. Police patrolling for early detection of crime and shifting of injured to hospital/critical care center and provision of prompt ambulance service by state/ private hospital/ NGO's for medical care.

Conversion to hijrah (EUNUCH) is it need based or a crime.

Young boys were allegedly kidnapped and kept under illegal custody for months together. After demoralization had set in due to prolonged confinement, surgery was done on their private parts and female hormones were given to the persons. The converted person were made to wear female garments and performed in groups as a female dancers and earned money while in captivity. After a few years the person approached the police that this heinous crime had been done against their will.