Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal issues:What is accidental suffocation?

• There have been numerous accidental deaths as a result of children putting things into their mouths and swallowing them, which in turn block the airways. This is why it is imperative that small children are never left unattended and are not allowed to put anything in their mouths, which may result in their choking.
• People also die of suffocation in the instance of a house fire where there is a lack of oxygen and they cannot breathe. The postmortem examination in such cases provides information whether or not the victim was conscious at the time of the fire starting or if indeed they had already been deceased. This process is measured by the amount of carbon dioxide in the deceased's system at the autopsy stage.
• Murder is comparatively rare however in some cases the assailant has tried to cover his or her tracks by setting fire to the location at which the deceased is finally found. This could be a house, an office, a workshop, anywhere.
• The autopsy surgeon must look for the tell tale signs: the bloodshot eyes, the high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood and bruising around the nose and mouth and may even collect trace evidence such as hairs and fibers from around the nose and mouth of the deceased.
• As accidental suffocation or smothering is relatively common, therefore until proven otherwise by a forensic surgeon/doctor and subsequent inquest, all cases of suffocation or smothering should be treated as potentially suspicious.

Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal issues:Medical Testimony of Doctor in the Court of law

The doctor should acquire the habit of making a careful note of all the facts observed by him. Vagueness and theory have no place in legal medicine. He should examine the facts which come to his knowledge in his special capacity, draw his conclusions logically and correctly after a detailed consideration of the pros and cons of the case, and indicate to the Court that interpretation, along with the grounds on which it is based. Presumption is not proof, and conjecture is not evidence. The Court has no special medical knowledge. It relies on medical witness for an opinion and expects him to assist it with his special knowledge and experience in perusal of truth.

Emedinews:Inspiration:Peace of mind

Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. This was in the initial days. While they were traveling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples, I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink! So he came back and told Buddha, The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be … and the mud settled down on its own and you got clear water… Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.

What did Buddha emphasize here? He said, It is effortless. Having ‘peace of mind’ is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.

Emedinews:Inspiration: My Little Miracle

I had just turned 19 when I was told I could not have children. I was devastated. Ever since I was a small child, I had prayed for a beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed baby girl. I used to pray to God that before He decided to come back for His children, He would allow me to have a baby girl. I was in a serious relationship at the time that I thought would last forever. He told me that he would love nothing more than to have a child to care for and love. I prayed that the doctors were wrong and that maybe if I prayed hard enough, God would prove them wrong.

Every night I would pray, "God, please let me be a mother. Let me have the honor of caring for one of your children." Just three months later, I found out I was pregnant. I had a very hard pregnancy. High blood pressure kept the doctors on alert. I found out I had Strep B, which could be fatal to the baby. I was scared. I didn't want to lose her. Every day I prayed that she would be OK. At only 33 weeks, she attempted to be born. "No," I prayed. "Not this early. Please. Just one more week at least. She needs to gain more weight." I was immediately hospitalized and put on total bed rest. I was given nothing to eat or drink for three days. On the fourth day, the doctors finally said I could eat and drink, that my body was doing what it was supposed to in preventing the birth.

Just a couple of days later, when I had reached 34 weeks, the doctors decided it was safe enough for me to have her. I was induced, and at 4:57 pm on September 18, 1998, I had the most beautiful blonde haired, blue-eyed baby girl. I named her Jessie-Mae Marie. She is now two-years-old and the best thing to ever happen to me. A real gift from God. No, her father and I are no longer together. He decided being a father was not for him. I am not sad about that. I am sad for him. He is missing out on her growing up and will probably always regret it.

So, if any of you are told there is no chance for you to have children, remember this. God still works miracles. He worked a big one in my life and I will always be grateful for that.

Emedinews:Inspiration:Love, Wealth and Success?

A woman came out of her house and saw three old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?” they asked. "No", she said. "He's out." "Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out and invited the men in.

"We do not go into a House together," they replied. "Why is that?" she wanted to know. One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!" His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!" "Let us agree to our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him.

Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success. The other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love. Wherever He goes, we go with him.

Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"

(Contributed by Ms Ritu Sinha)

Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal issues:Autopsy in deaths due to adverse events following immunization

• The doctor conducting the autopsy is duty bound to take samples for toxicological screening and should send them to forensic laboratory for toxicological/chemical examination
• The site of injection and the underlying tissue up to 2-3 cms (button size) with dermis and epidermis should be excised out. It should be preserved in a glass jar which should be filled two-thirds with saturated saline water. The specimens should be sealed, signed, labeled by the doctor/autopsy surgeon and should be handed over to police /investigating officer for further toxicological/chemical examination.
• The viscera for toxicological/chemical examination/ the following viscera specimen/biological samples should be collected for toxicological/chemical examination; 80 to 100 gms of liver, 80 to 100 gms of brain with meninges, whole of the stomach with gastric contents. If there are no gastric contents, a section of stomach should be sent. The upper part of small intestine about 30cm long with its contents Fragments from both adrenal glands, half of transverse section of kidneys, half of spleen. Blood 100 ml ideal / minimum 10 ml and urine 100 ml/ minimum 10 ml.
• All visceral specimens should be collected in separate containers - a wide mouthed bottle as prescribed - and saturated saline should be added as preservatives. The quantity of the saline should be sufficient to cover all the pieces of specimen viscera in bottle.
• The specimens should be sealed, signed, labeled by the doctor/autopsy surgeon and should be handed over to police /investigating officer for further chemical examination in a forensic lab.

(Contributed by Dr Sudhir Gupta)