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Principles of Disease > Forensic Medicine > Flashcards

Forensic Medicine Flashcards

1
Q

Under what circumstances is identification in the living essential?

A

Amnesia, dementia, post-coal states.

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2
Q

Why is identification essential?

A

Human rights, criminal investigation, civil law, social function, cultural/religious/psychosocial reasons, assessment of injuries.

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3
Q

What are the two main methods of identification after death?

A
  1. Comparative

2. Deductive

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4
Q

How are individuals identified after death?

A
  1. Are they human?
  2. Expected environment/circumstances OR unrelated to environment/circumstances?
  3. Gender
  4. Age
  5. Stature
  6. Additional features (race, hair, eyes, facial hair, facial characterisations, tattoos, piercings, scars)
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5
Q

What are the two main areas of the skeleton that are used to determine gender?

A

Skull and pelvis.

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6
Q

In what instance can sexual characteristics be obscured?

A

Decomposed or burnt body.

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7
Q

What is used to distinguish approximate age at each stage of life?

A
  1. Fetus and neonates - bone development using ossification centres.
  2. Childhood and adolescence - assessment of epiphyses.
  3. Adult - increasing difficulty
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8
Q

What is the most valuable indicator from infancy to adulthood?

A

Teeth.

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9
Q

Discuss stature in identification.

A
  • Difficult to do with precision, people may not have had their height measured accurately in life.
  • Individual bones of lower limb are most useful for calculation of height.
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10
Q

What resources can be used for comparison when identifying a body?

A

Medical records, dental records, fingerprints, DNA profiling, facial reconstruction, radiology.

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11
Q

Is precise timing of death possible?

A

NO (depend on environment in which the body lies after death also toxicological considerations and stomach emptying).

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12
Q

What are the early changes seen after death?

A
  1. Temperature.

2. Post-mortem hypostasis (lividity, liver mortis).

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13
Q

Discuss the main points associated with temperature after death.

A

Temperature degrades but too many variables to calculate.

  • temp of body and environment can vary at death.
  • Curve = Initial drop and then a slight rise due to decomposition.
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14
Q

Define post-mortem hypostasis.

A

Settling of blood vessels under action of gravity with areas of pressure pallor.

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15
Q

When is post-mortem hypostasis fastest?

A

In the warmth.

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16
Q

When is post-mortem hypostasis not identifiable?

A

During putrefaction.

17
Q

What is ‘cheery pink’ liver mortis indicative of?

A

CO poisoning

18
Q

How long does liver mortis usually take?

A

1-2 hours and fully established by 6-12 hours.

19
Q

Define rigor mortis.

A

Stiffening of muscles after death which arises in a cycle wearing on over a period and the off again.

20
Q

What does rigorous mortis lead to?

A

Rigidity of musculature and fixation of joints.

21
Q

What is “cadaveric spasm”?

A

Contraction of small muscles particularly in people active before death.

22
Q

What is ‘pugilistic attitude’?

A

Death in high temperature causing flexion deformities and protruding tongue, haemorrhage under skull and broken bones.

23
Q

What are the main late changes seen after death?

A
  1. Putrefaction
  2. Autolysis
  3. Adipocere formation - saponification
  4. Mummification
  5. Skeletonisation
24
Q

What is adipocere formation?

A

Saponification. Special form of degradation e.g FAs in adipose and ionic solutions. Micro-organisms avoid this.

25
Q

What is autolysis?

A

Endogenous proteolytic degeneration with enzymes.

26
Q

What is putrefaction?

A

Microbiological degeneration.

27
Q

What is mummification?

A

Desiccation usually with warmth. Brown/leathery skin. Also inhibits putrefaction and autolysis.

28
Q

What is skeletonisation?

A

Disappearance of soft tissue, depends on exposure and can be extremely variable.

29
Q

What other changes can be seen after death?

A
  1. Maceration (especially of stillbirths - autolysis alone)
  2. Embalming (inject into blood vessels)
  3. Post-mortem mutilation (causes mechanical OR predatory damage).
30
Q

What type of toxin is released on cell death?

A

Endotoxin.

Principles of Disease (9 decks)

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