FORENSIC MEDICINE
By: JERAMIE S. ERPELO
SCENARIO 1
• YOU ARE ON CALL IN THE MEDICAL WARD. AT 3 AM THE NURSE
CALLS YOU AND ASKS YOU TO COME TO SEE A PATIENT. YOU
COME TO THE ROOM AND FIND THE PATIENT “DEAD”.
• WHAT DO YOU DO?
SCENARIO 2
• DURING YOUR ROTATION IN THE GERIATRIC WARD, ONE OF
YOUR PATIENT DIES. THE PATIENT’S DAUGHTER COMES TO YOU
AND ASK YOU: “MY FATHER WAS WORKING IN A FACTORY OF
CONSTRUCTION AND ISOLATION MATERIAL, AND I SUSPECTS
THAT HE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO A “CARXINOGENIC MATERIAL,
ASBESTOS”. IS THIS RELATED TO THIS?
• WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
SCENARIO 3
• A FRIEND OF YOURS CALLS YOU AND ASK FOR “SICK LEAVE”
FOR 5 DAYS. HE KNOWS THAT YOU WORK IN THE HOSPITAL AND
YOU CAN EASILY DO HIM A FAVOR.
• WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
SCENARIO 4
• THE POLICE IS INVESTIGATING A CASE OF MEDICAL
MALPRACTICE. THEY SEE YOUR NAME IN THE PATIENT’S FILE.
THEY ASK YOU TO WRITE A REPORT ABOUT THE PATIENT. THIS
REPORT WILL BE CONSIDERED AS EVIDENCE IN THEIR
INVESTIGATION.
• WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
FORENSIC MEDICINE (FM)
- is a branch of medicine where the principles and knowledge of
medicine is used for purposes of the law
(both civil and criminal) and justice.
- medical aspects of law
Forensis – (forum)
in Rome, forum was a meeting place where civil and legal matters used to be
discussed.
Forensic + Medicine
- synonymous to Legal Medicine ( Europe and US)
BRANCHES OF FM
A. FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
- used to find out the cause of death
by performing autopsies/post- mortem
examinations;
a) in traumatic deaths.
b) in sudden, unexpected deaths
c) interpreting the mechanism of
injuries & giving medico-legal
opinions
BRANCHES OF FM
B. CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE
a) Medico-legal examination of sexual offenses
b) Determination of age for medico-legal purposes
c) Medico-legal examination of injuries in physical assaults/ battered baby.
d) Medico-legal examination of drunkenness.
e) Assessment of degree of permanent disabilities, following a factory
accident of a workman for compensation
BRANCHES OF FM
C. FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY
- deals with the sources, characters, properties of
poisons, the symptoms they produce, their fatal effect
and fatal doses, and the remedial measures that should
be taken to combat their actions or effects.
D. FORENSIC THANATOLOGY
- investigates the mechanisms and forensics aspects
of death such as:
a) Bodily changes that accompany death
b) The post-mortem period changes
BRANCHES OF FM
E. MEDICAL ETHICS
- deals with the moral principles which should
guide members of the medical profession in their
dealings with each other, their patient and State.
Medical Etiquette
deals with the conventional laws of courtesy
observed between members of the medical
profession.
BRANCHES OF FM
F. MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE
- deals with the legal responsibilities of the physician with
particular reference to those arising from physician-patient
relationship, such as;
Medical negligence Cases
Consent
Rights and Duties of doctors
Serious Professional misconduct
Medical Ethics
BRANCHES OF FM
G. FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY/FORENSIC DENTISTRY
- deals with the proper handling, examination & evaluation of dental
evidences, for the interest of justice.
FO are responsible for:
Identify the human remains that cannot be identified using fingerprints or
other means.
Identify bodies in mass disasters.
Determine the source of bite mark injuries, in cases of assault or suspected
abuse.
Estimate the age of skeletal remains.
BRANCHES OF FM
H. FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY I. FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
- psychiatric assessment of a person - assist in the identification of
for; deceased individuals whose
a. insanity in case of murder remains are decomposed, burned,
b. Competency as a witness. mutilated or other wise
c. Testamentary capacity in unrecognizable.
executing a will
d. validity of consent
BRANCHES OF FM
J. FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY K. FORENSIC SEROLOGY
- covers evidence gathered through - detection, classification and
insect studies at the scenes of murder, study of various bodily fluids (blood,
suicide, rape, physical abuse and sweat, semen fecal matter) & their
contraband trafficking, relationship to a crime scene
- helpful in determining the post
mortem interval & location of a death
in question.
HIGHLIGHTS OF FM
Fortunato Fedele
– an Italian Physician who published the first book on forensic medicine in
1602
Paulus Zacchias
- Father of Forensic Medicine/Legal Medicine
- Father of Forensic Psychiatry
Mathieu Orfila
- Founder of Modern Toxicology
NATURE OF THE STUDY OF LM
The ability to acquire facts, arrange them and draw a conclusion from facts in
the administration of justice.
Medical Jurist, Medical Examiner, Medico-Legal Officer, Medico-Legal Expert
- physician who specialized primarily with medico-legal duties.
ORDINARY PHYSICIAN MEDICO-LEGAL OFFICER
a. Injury/Disease Treatment Cause
Point of View
b. Examine a patient Diagnose Testify/ Justice
c. Minor Injuries Ignored Records all/ qualify
Principle of Stare Decisis
When the court has once laid an interpretation of
law as applied to certain facts, it will adhere to and
apply to all future cases where the facts are
substantially the same.
Basic Principles Governing Application and
Effects of Laws
1. “Ignorantia legis nominem excusat” – prevent use as defense in violation
2. Law shall have no retro-active effect.
3. Rights may be waived, unless the waiver is contrary to law, public order,
public policy, morals or good customs, or prejudiced to a third person with a
right recognized by law.
4. Customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be
countenanced.
5. Laws are repealed by subsequent ones, and their violation or non-
observance shall not be excused by dis-use, custom or practice to the
contrary.
Persons Authorized to Perform
Autopsies
1. Health Officers
2. Medical Officer or Law Enforcement Agencies
3. Members of the medical staff of accredited hospitals.
Autopsies shall be performed in the following cases;
4. Requested by the special laws
5. Order of Competent Court, Mayor, Fiscal
6. Written request of police officers
7. SolGen, Fiscal Disinter to determine cause of death
8. Written request of nearest kin to ascertain cause of death.
THANK YOU!
Good People Don’t Need
Laws To Tell Them To Act
Responsibly….
And Bad People will find a
way around the laws.
--PLATO
EXERCISE #1
ORFENISS FORENSIS
LIMAPTRACE MALPRACTICE
CLAMIDE CHISTE MEDICAL ETHICS
COMIDE GALLE MEDICO LEGAL
SYTRAPCHISTI PSYCHIATRIST
