Forensic Medicine

Adipocere formation is a modified decomposition process that occurs in the fatty tissues, hydrolyzing them through enzymatic mechanisms.

The decomposition of the human body is called putrefaction, which is a process where complex organic body tissue breaks down into simpler inorganic compounds or elements due to the action of saprophytic microorganisms or autolysis.

‘Sudden Infant Death Syndrome’ or ‘cot deaths’ or ‘crib deaths’ are the sudden, unexplainable deaths of healthy babies. Even after thorough autopsy, toxicological analysis and investigation the death remains unexplained. In fact the death rate is 2 to 3 per 1000 live births. A lot of research has been carried Read more…

Infanticide refers to the killing of infants below the age of 12 months. It is usually committed by the mother who is either unmarried or widow or married or suffering from any sort of mental illness. The laws in respect to infanticide differs in different countries. For example in United Read more…

Every year a lot of infants are found dead all around the world. There are various situations of the death of an infant and stillbirth is one such example. Stillbirth refers to the condition in which the child is born after 28 weeks of gestation period and does not show Read more…

According to the ‘Law of Progressive Change’ everything in this universe changes with time. And this is also applicable after the death of an organism. Human body shows a lot of changes during life as well as after death. The changes that occur in the body after death are termed Read more…

After death, the body of every living organism undergoes certain changes and gets converted into inorganic matter. This whole process is dependent on time and hence changes undergone during this time forms the basis for estimating Postmortem Interval or time since death (TSD) of an individual. Postmortem interval is the Read more…

Stab wounds are also known as puncture wounds. These are the piercing wounds that are produced by the application of mechanical force along the long axis of a narrow or pointed object. They are classified mainly based on the depth of penetration and based on the causative weapon. Based on Read more…

Chop wounds are otherwise known as slash wounds. They are a type of incised wounds made by chopping or hacking motion with a sharp and heavy weapon. They are deep gaping wounds caused by a weapon like a hatchet, an axe, sword, broad heavy knife, chopper, saber, or meat cleaver. Read more…

Incised wounds are otherwise known as slash or a cut. It is a type of mechanical injury that is produced by a sharp cutting weapon. The force when delivered over a very narrow area corresponding with the cutting edge of a blade of the weapon will cause orderly solution of Read more…

A laceration wound is a type of mechanical injury caused by hard and blunt force impact characterized by the splitting or tearing of tissues. This happens when the skin loses its elasticity. The laceration wound is also known as tears or ruptures. Localized portions of tissue are displaced by the Read more…

A contusion, also known as a bruise is the extravasation or collection of blood due to the rupture of blood vessels caused by the application of mechanical force of blunt nature without loss of continuity of tissues. It is caused by a blunt force impact causing crushing or tearing of Read more…

Hypostasis is also known as Postmortem Lividity, livor mortis, vibices, suggillation, postmortem staining. It is the purplish-blue or reddish-blue discoloration due to the settling of blood by the gravitational force within the dependent dilated and toneless small veins and capillaries of rete mucosum. It is an intravascular phenomenon and occurs Read more…

A contusion, also known as a bruise is the extravasation or collection of blood due to the rupture of blood vessels caused by the application of mechanical force of blunt nature without loss of continuity of tissues. It is caused by a blunt force impact causing crushing or tearing of Read more…

Abrasion is also known as gravel rash is a type of mechanical injury that causes destruction of the skin, and is characterized by the loss of superficial skin or mucous membrane due to the application of mechanical force. The general thickness of the skin is 1.6 mm. Pure abrasions do Read more…