Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology

Introduction: Absence of reasonable care and skill, or willful negligence by medical practitioner in the treatment of a patient resulting in bodily/psychological injury or death of the patient is medical negligence. This survey was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness of medical students and interns in a medical college. Materials & Methods: It is an observational cross-sectional study in which 306 IIIrd Professional M.B.B.S. Part-2 students & Interns participated in 10 multiplechoice questions based on different aspects of negligence in medical practice and its prevention. The data collected were tabulated and statistically analyzed to draw conclusions. Results: Out of 306 total respondents, 27.80% (n=85) had adequate knowledge, while 60.50% (n=185) had partial knowledge, and 11.80% (n=36) had poor knowledge. It was found that adequate knowledge was present in 36.41% (n=71) of IIIrd Professional M.B.B.S. Part-2 students, and 12.61% (n=14) of Interns. Conclusion: IIIrd Professional M.B.B.S. had better knowledge about medical negligence when compared to Interns showing labile memory of lessons taught in UG curriculum. A reasonable approach to tackle this issue could be to ensure better medico-legal training for medical students.

Introduction: Snakebite envenoming is many times fatal. Venomous snake bites can cause huge morbidity and medical problems from trivial hospitalization to death or amputation. They help in maintaining rodents population and thus boon for farmer’s yield. Materials and method: Prospective cross-sectional study was carried out at Government Medical College and Hospital, Akola, Maharashtra for all the cases who were autopsied with snakebite envenomation from May 2022 to April 2024. Total 76 cases of snake bite were brought for autopsy to our tertiary care hospital Observations and results: Most cases were in 41 to 50 years age group whereas tapering on both the extremes. Mostly residence of rural area 63 (82.89%) whereas predominant occupation of the cases was agricultural 49 (64.47%). Site of incidence of snakebite were at fields 59 (77.63%) followed by residence 13 (17.11%). Rainy season bears the maximum load of snakebite 49 (64.47%) cases. Conclusions: Strong policy for the Anti Snake Venom (ASV) procurement and its inclusion in essential drugs list is the need of the hour.

Context: Forensic odontology plays a vital role in human identification, particularly when conventional methods are hindered by decomposition or trauma. Understanding the effects of various environmental factors on teeth is crucial for effective forensic analysis. Aims: The study aim to evaluate the effects of three different acids - 37% Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), 65% Nitric Acid (HNO3), and 98% Formic Acid (HCOOH) - on extracted permanent mandibular first molars, focusing on noncarious, carious, and Class I composite filled teeth. Methods and Material: A total of 45 extracted permanent mandibular first molars were subjected to acid solutions each of 30 ml for different durations ranging from 15 minutes to 24 hours. The teeth were categorized into non-carious, carious, and Class I composite-filled groups. Morphological, microscopic, and radiographic evaluations were conducted at various time intervals to assess the effects of acid exposure on the dental tissues and restorations. Results: The study found that acid exposure led to significant changes in the morphology, microscopic structure, and radiographic appearance of both dental tissues and restorations. Variations in the rate of degradation were observed depending on the type of acid and the condition of the teeth. Conclusions: The results offer valuable insights into the effects of acid exposure on teeth, particularly in forensic odontology. Understanding these effects is critical for evaluating the durability of dental structures and restorations in forensic identification processes, where teeth are frequently used as a primary means of identification.

Context: Autopsy or necropsy means, postmortem examination of a dead body. Post mortem examination is a process which is required to establish the exact cause of death in sudden, suspicious or unnatural cases. In each and every suspicious case, in which police or magistrate needed a complete autopsy is necessary to substantiate the truth of the evidence of eyewitnesses. There are aim and objectives of a autopsy. It determines the mode, manner and time passed since death. In India postmortem examination used to be conducted by graduate doctors. As per New NMC guidelines the undergraduate will be called as IMG (Indian medical Graduate). As per Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum for undergraduates provided by National Medical Commission (NMC), autopsy is suggestive teaching learning method with autopsy is also a competency. The present comparison was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude of medical undergraduate students of two medical colleges towards post-mortem as these traits will influence the quality of autopsy reports being prepared by them in their professional careers. It is very important that the emotions of the students have to be considered while training medical students but unfortunately it is bit neglected since the inception of medical curriculum. These days curriculum also emphasis only on clinical aspect. Material & Method: it is questionnaire-based study. Study was carried out on second year undergraduate medical students of two medical colleges situated at Rajasthan, GMC, Kota & Jhalawar Medical College, Kota. Questionnaires to be answered, were administered to the participating medical students in Google form. Statistical analysis used: For compilation of data, tabulate formation prepared one by one. 162 students of first medical college and 46 students of second medical college took part in the study. Conclusion & Results: The undergraduate medical students should be encouraged to observe more autopsies during their study course. Problem-based learning during practical training of autopsy must be incorporated, as a part of the medical curriculum and instead of elective, compulsory rotatory internship training should be there for Forensic Medicine.

Background: Palatal rugoscopy is the examination of the palatal rugae. The majority of people concur that a person’s rugae pattern remains constant throughout their lives. The rugae pattern can endure injury or burns better than most other anatomical structures because of their interior placement in the head. Because rugae patterns are believed to be unique, much like fingerprints, they are also utilised for personal identification. Examining and correlating the dominant palatal arch form with the male and female groups in North Indian and Negroid populations was the aim of this study. The sample consists of 80 plaster casts, ages 18 to 25, split equally across two groups and genders. Method: After taking an impression of the maxillary arch, a plaster cast was made using alginate impression material. The rugae were recognised on the cast and described in accordance with Thomas and Kotze (1983) and Kapali et al. (1983) using a sharp graphite pencil and adequate illumination and magnification Result: Class B (V-shaped palate) was the most common palatal arch form (16/40; 40.00%) in Negroid subjects, followed by Class C shape. In Indian subjects, Class C (U-shaped palate) was the most common palatal arch form (19/40; 47.50%), followed by Class A and Class B shapes. Conclusion: The rugae pattern is another method of distinguishing between North Indian and Negroid, based on the limitations of the current study.

Background: In Forensic medicine, microarray technology has an immense impact in the areas of investigation, to conduct in-depth Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) analysis in forensic phenotyping. That allows for the probabilistic prediction of externally visible characteristics (EVCs), such eye and hair colour, and yields useful leads for identifying suspects. The use of microarray technology to estimate the Postmortem Interval (PMI), or time since death, is another area of active research. Moreover, by observing post-mortem, gene expression, microbial DNA, and identification through biological fluids like saliva, CSF, venous blood, menstrual blood, and semen, researchers hope to increase PMI accuracy. These developments and implications of microarrays in forensic science allows for more enhanced and informative genetic analyses, ultimately strengthening forensic investigations. Objective: This review aims to evaluate the current applications and future directions of microarray-based techniques in forensic medicine. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Research Gate and Google Scholar for studies published between January 2000 to March 2025. Studies focusing on forensic applications of microarrays, including gene expression profiling, identification of body fluids, time of death estimation, and toxicological assessments were included. Results: Out of 789 initially identified articles, 34 studies met the inclusion criteria. Microarrays demonstrated significant utility in identifying specific gene expression patterns related to postmortem interval estimation, tissue-specific markers, and toxin exposure. However, variability in sample preservation, data interpretation, and lack of standardization limit its widespread forensic adoption. Conclusion: Microarray technology shows promising potential in forensic medicine. Integrating it with traditional methods and next-generation sequencing could enhance accuracy and reliability in forensic investigations.

Determining the age of unidentified human skeletal remains is one of the objectives of forensic identification. Age is estimated using the articular surface of the ilium, pubic symphysis, acetabulum, clavicle, skull, and sternum. In November 2020, the body of an unknown 35-year-old man was found in a black plastic bag and transported to the Varanasi postmortem house for examination. Age can be inferred from changes in bone morphology as people age. The age had been estimated by the police. Bone morphology is the most accurate indicator of age, especially in a medicolegal setting. The deceased’s age is determined to be between 40 and 45 years old after a postmortem. For this middle age group estimation of age, most reliable morphological changes occur in acetabulum, pubic symphysis and the 4th rib.