identification of human beings

Question 1

Understand how identification may be made in the living, incapacitated patient.

Answer 1

In the living- amnesiac, demented, post ictal ( after epileptic shock)

Need to be able to ask the question: who are you.
Can use ID if they carry it on them.

Question 2

Understand how individual identification may be made after death.

Answer 2

In a single unidentified body:

• In expected circumstances and environment- patient sample is compared with known identify factors
• Unrelated to environment and circumstances: e.g. in a homicide

In a mass fatality: can use manifests e.g. aeroplanes have assigned seating.
-Movable items e.g. clothing
-Dental records
-Medical records
-DNA profiling
- Fingerprints- unique to evert individual- not even the same in identical twins. Can be used when patient has a criminal record
-physical characters:
Gender- significant differences in pelvis, skull and internal genitalia
Age- teeth can be used in adults as It becomes more difficult to identify
In fetuses and neonate ossification centres can be assessed using scans.
In children can use epithelial growth plates

-Additional defining characters such as tattos, piercings, scars