▪ Synonyms for Forensic Medicine: Medical
Jurisprudence, Legal Medicine, State
Medicine.
▪ Forensis: it is a Latin word and it means
“of or before the forum”. Forum was the
meeting place where civil and legal
matters discussed in Rome.
▪ Forensic Science is the application of
the methods and techniques of the basic
sciences for legal issues.
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DEFINITIONS
▪ Forensic Medicine: it deals with the
application of medical knowledge to aid in
the administration of justice.
▪ Medical Jurisprudence: (juries-law,
prudential-knowledge) it deals with legal
responsibilities of the physician with
particular reference to those arising from
physician-patient relationship, such as
medical negligence, consent, rights and
duties of doctors, serious professional
misconduct, medical ethics, etc.
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▪ So Forensic Medicine deals with
medical aspects of law
▪ Medical jurisprudence deals with legal
aspect of medicine.
▪ Hence they are different but closely
related.
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▪ Related definitions
▪ Forensic Pathology: it deals with the
study and application of the effects of
violence or unnatural disease in its various
forms in or on the human body, in
determining the cause and manner of
death in cases of violence, suspicious,
unexplained, unexpected, sudden and
medically unattended deaths.
▪ Medical Ethics: it deals with the moral
principles which should guide members of
medical profession in their dealing with
each other, their patients and the state.
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▪ Medical Etiquette: it deals with the
conventional laws of courtesy observed
between members of the medical profession.
▪ Forensic Toxicology is the study of the
effect of drugs and poisons on/in the
human body.
▪ Forensic Psychology is the study of the
mind of an individual, using forensic
methods. Usually it determines the
circumstances behind a criminal's behavior.
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▪ Forensic Odontology (Forensic Dentistry)
is the study of the uniqueness of dentition
better known as the study of teeth.
▪ Forensic Anthropology is the application of
physical anthropology in a legal setting,
usually for the recovery and identification of
skeleton.
▪ Forensic Entomology deals with the
examination of insects in, on, and around
human remains to assist in determination
of time or location of death. It is also
possible to determine if the body was moved
after death.
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▪ Forensic Archaeology is the application of a
combination of archaeological techniques and
forensic science, typically in law enforcement.
▪ Forensic Geology deals with trace evidence
in the form of soils, minerals and petroleum.
▪ Digital Forensics is the application of proven
scientific methods and techniques in order to
recover data from electronic / digital media.
Digital Forensic specialists work in the field
as well as in the lab.
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▪ Computational Forensics concerns the
development of algorithms and software to
assist forensic examination.
▪ Forensic DNA analysis
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▪ Forensic Medicine deals almost entirely with
crimes against human beings in which medical
examination and evidence are required. For
example Post mortem Examination,
Toxicological analysis, Lie detection, Poly
graph test, Narco analysis, Finger printing,
DNA analysis, Brain mapping, etc.
▪ Forensic Medicine is not an exact science but
it’s an exercise of commonsense, combined
with application of knowledge and experience,
already acquired in the study of other branches
of medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics,
orthopedics, etc.
▪ The main aim of this branch is to find out the
truth.
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▪ Forensic Experts especially with
Medical knowledge are also known as
Medico-legal Experts. Medico-legal
experts are Expert Witness in the courts
of law.
▪ That’s why they are called Experts of
Experts.
▪ Medico-legal expert should have the
great power of observation, a wide range
of exact knowledge and the great power
of re construction.
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▪ History
Manu was the 1st law giver in India &
“Manusmriti” was a famous book for Law &
Medicine related issues.
The oldest known Medico-legal code is “Code of
Hammurabi”.
Hippocrates, Charak & Shusutra have also
contributed in Forensic Medicine.
1st book(1602): Fortunato Fedele
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▪ 1st Autopsy
Bartolomeo De Varignana (1302)
Dr.Edward Bulkley (1693)
▪ 1st Medical School: Kolkata (1822)
▪ 1st Professor: Dr. Woodford
▪ Father of Legal Medicine: Paulus Zachias
▪ Father of Toxicology: Orfila
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