Common Medicolegal Problems Faced by Medical Officers of Armed Forces Medical Services.

Many a times medical officers of Armed Forces Medical Services face problems concerning policy as well as policy matters la connection with their medico-legal duties and responsibilities. This is particularly so with hospital administrators, pathologists and surgeons. Over and above, the lack of Army Orders and DG Memoranda on this topic makes one feel at a loss. The consequences of mistakes committed while performing medicolegal duties may include strictures from the courts. This article tries to list the common medicolegal problems encountered by medical officers of Armed Forces Medical Services working at different levels and in different capacities, and provides solutions for the same.

Role of autopsy surgeon in determination of time since death in criminal cases.

Importance of determination of time since death is very important for the investigating agencies, autopsy surgeons and legal authorities in criminal cases or when a foul play is suspected behind a death. There are many variabilities and probabilities in determination process but the following points are to be read and analysed carefully so that it can be easier to ascertain the time since death: History and circumstances of death; somatic and molecular signs of death; emptying time of stomach and state of digestion of food in the stomach; biochemical investigations, etc. The individual points are narrated in a nutshell in this article.

POST MORTEM DIAGNOSIS OF EARLY MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION.

Acute Myocardial Infarction as a cause of death is diagnosed in many cases of sudden death based on the indirect evidence of critical narrrowing (75%) of one or more coronary arteries. Microscopic evidence of infarction is seen in H & E stained sections only if the person has survived for a minimum period of 6 hours after sustaining fatal ischaemic attack. In this study we have used two laboratory methods for visualisation of infarcts of lesser 'age', viz.-Triphenyl Tetrazolium Chloride (TTC) Macro Test and Acridine Orange Fluorescence Study. The former is a gross staining procedure which can reveal infarcts of 5-6 hours age, while the later is UV Fluorescent microscopic examination capable of detecting infarcts of 2 hours age. Although these procedures are well accepted ones, the aim of this article is to induce Forensic Pathologists to incorporate these tests in the study protocol of all sudden death cases with the aim of 'visualising' the infarct rather than basing the diagnosis on indirect evidence of critical narrowing of Coronaries.

Gender bias torture in place of work.

Gender bias torture specially sexual harassment of women at the work place is now a hard reality, the ultimate form of control that repressed men, especially those in position of authority, can have today. They are generally being allowed to get away with it. Mainly because women are fearful and totally unorganized, managements are complacent and the law takes much too long to work if it ever does. Global picture is horrifying. Child abuse, women abuse and even some men are sexually abused. The fear of loss of job, hostility at work and social stigma still prevent women from complaining about sexual harassment. It has been recognized as human rights violation by the Supreme Court which has even drawn up legally binding guidelines directing employers to implement preventive and remedial measures in the work place.

AIDS-MEDICOLEGAL ASPECTS.

AIDS/HIV Positivity has been the most widely debated disease of this century. Reasons for this are manifold, viz-the non-availability of cure and consequent 100% mortality of a full blown case; its mode of transmission-homosexual and heterosexual activities; widespread occurrence amongst 'main liners'; and patients receiving blood and blood products etc. These aspects have created a dreaded halo around AIDS as well as social stigma. Even the medical community is not exempt from these problems. Unfortunately, legislatures around the world, more so in India, have lagged behind in clarifying many legal issues involved by not enacting specific laws pertaining to AIDS. Consequently many legal & ethical doubts arise in the minds of doctors when confronted with a case of AIDS either in a live patient or in a dead body. In addition, the disease being incurable & 100% fatal, makes it essential to adopt effective preventive measures which in turn need thorough knowledge of social aspects of the epidemic. Certain medicolegal, and ethical aspects of the problem of AIDS are recapitulated in this article for the benefit of the medical community.