Friday 30 September 2011

Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal issues:Post-mortem suggests the majority of fatal stab wounds are on the chest

.• The doctor conducting the postmortem examination must keep in mind that the shape and size of the wound suggests the width and type of weapon whether it is single edged or otherwise, the depth of the wound will indicate the length of weapon, the directions and dimensions of the wound indicate the relative position of the assailant and the victim, and the position, direction and number of wound may indicate manner of production, i.e., suicide, accident or homicide.
• The medico-legal postmortem of 29 cases of death due to stab wound has been conducted by me in the year 2010 brought from south Delhi
• A stab wound is produced from penetration by long narrow instruments with blunt or pointed ends such as knife, dagger, nail, needle, spear, arrow, screw driver etc. into the depths of the body, penetrating the skin and the underlying tissues that is deeper than its length and width on skin.
• This is caused by driving the object into the body or from the body’s pressing or falling against the object and object penetrate due to body momentum.
• The wound is called punctured wounds when it enter a body cavity one way only however when the weapon enters the body on one side and comes out from the other side, it is called perforating wound.
• The wound of entry is larger and the wound of exit is smaller due to tapering of the blade in stab wound which is contrary to fire arm missile entry and exit wounds.
• The doctor must preserve for police if a broken fragment of weapon is found, it will identify the weapon or connect the accused person with the crime.
• Death due to sharp force violence is most common cause of homicide in India also in the many other parts of Europe, as well as in Africa and Asia. It also accounts for 30% of fatal and non-fatal family assaults in the USA

(Contributed by Dr Sudhir Gupta)

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