1. ED
2.ER
3.Fx, fx
4.gt, gtt
5.Hx
6.IV
7.mg
8.Na, Na+
9.NC
10.NPO
1. ED
2.ER
3.Fx, fx
4.gt, gtt
5.Hx
6.IV
7.mg
8.Na, Na+
9.NC
10.NPO
emergency department
emergency room
fracture
drop, drops
history
intravenous
milligram
sodium
nasal cannula
nothing by mouth
1. List 3 things bones can
tell us?
2. What is the role of the Forensic
Anthropologist? (hint RID)
3. What bones are best
for determining height?
4. What bone is best for determining sex?
1. List 3 things bones can
tell us?
- Age -Sex
- Height -Racial
- Condition of life -COD
2. What is the role of the Forensic
Anthropologist? (hint RID)
• Recover Human Remains
• Identify Human Remains
• Determine Time or Cause of Death
3. What bones are best
for determining height?
Long Bones –orFemur and Humerus
4. What bone is best for determining sex?
Pelvis
Forensic Pathology
- postmortem investigation of
sudden or unexpected death or
trauma to the living
The Experts:
• A forensic autopsy is usually performed by a
specialized medical doctor called a Forensics
Pathologist or Medical Examiner
• To be a pathologist, the doctor must have
completed a four-year undergraduate
program, four years of medical
school training, and 3-4years
of postgraduate training in the
form of a pathology residency
Role of the Forensic Pathologist
4 broad determinations to be made:
A. MOD
B. COD
C. Mechanism of Death
D. TOD
Normal Postmortem Changes
1. rigor mortis
2. livor mortis
3. Desiccation – removal of water
4. Putrefaction – breaking down
5. cell autolysis
(also called butyric fermentation)
6. dry decay
Livor Mortis
Desiccation
The Autopsy
Steps Involved:
1. External Examination
a. measurements - length, weight
b. inspection of external surface for injury,
discoloration, “cause of death” signs
2. Opening of Trunk
a. ‘Y’ incision
b. Open rib cage
c. Condition of heart
d. Removal of organs
External Exam
1. Determine type of wound
2. Measure the dimensions (length, width,
depth)
3. Position relative to anatomical landmarks
4. Determine initial location if wound involves
cutting, slashing, etc.
5. Determine height from heel
Types of Wounds (Trauma)
1. Lacerations
2. Incised Wound
3. Puncture
4. Abrasion
5. Contusion
6. Gunshot
Lacerations
Incised Wounds
Slash
Stab
Puncture – penetrating injury due to an object with no blade
Abrasions
Contusions
- Color changes a bruise goes
through can give rough
estimate of time of injury
• Dark blue/purple (1-18 hours)
•Blue/brown (~1 to 2days)
•Green (~ 2 to 3 days)
•Yellow (~3 to 7 days)
*Assumes person is healthy
Gunshot Wounds (GSW)
Things for pathologist to learn:
• type of firearm
• distance of gun to victim
• entrance vs exit wounds
• track of projectile
GSW
Starring of a
contact wound –
barrel touching the
skin
Stippling – powder burns on
the skin when the gun is
inches to a few feet from the
victim
“Cause of Death”
Petechial hemorrhage as a result of strangulation
“Cause of Death”
Discoloration or bruising is noted and often hints
at a “cause of death” diagnosis
Autopsy
Y incision
The Y-Incision
Y-Incision: The Y-Incision is the procedure used by the
pathologist or examiner to open up the breastplate of the
deceased and gain access to the body's major organs;
heart, lungs, liver, stomach, spleen etc.
Autopsy
Remove Organs:
1. must cut ligaments holding organs in the body cavity
and through the trachea and rectum
2. transfer organ block to a dissecting table
3. examine organs in proper order (weigh, physical
exam in and out, take tissue samples, save other
appropriate samples)
heart  liver  spleen  kidneys  pancreas
 bladder  genitalia  complete G.I. tract
- save postage stamp sized amount of tissue
- examine tissue under a microscope for bacteria,
disease
The stomach contents must be
examined as well
.
Autopsy
Steps cont:
Brain examination
1. An incision is made with a “Stryker saw” from
a point behind one ear, over the top of the head,
to a point behind the opposite ear.
2. The scalp is pulled away from the skull,
creating tow flaps. The front flap goes over the
face, the rear flap over the neck.
3. The skull is then cut with an electric saw to
create a cover that can be pulled off to expose
the brain.
4. The brain is then cut from the spinal cord and
lifted out of the skull for further examination.
Finally….
• Once everything has been examined, all the
internal organs are returned to the body
cavities or incinerated.
• The body is sewn back together
• A report will be done based on notes
and findings while performing the autopsy
• Send tissue samples, blood, urine & etc. to lab
for testing
• Refrigerate body to preserve it until its ready
to be moved elsewhere
Interesting Facts
-In the 17th century, lacking chemical tests (and knowledge of
disease transmission mechanisms), Italian physicians Antonio
Valsalva sometimes tasted the fluids he encountered in
cadavers in an effort to better characterize them.
-In 1828 Irish immigrants William Burke and William Hare
partnered to murder 16 people in Scotland for cadaver bounties
paid for by a doctor who didn’t ask questions. Hare testified
against Burke who was hung in 1829. Burkes cadaver was
publicly dissected and his skeleton remains on display at the
University of Edinburg. Wallets made from his skin which was
stolen during the autopsy were offered for sale on the streets.
-In 1912, Boston physician Richard Cabot analyzed autopsies
and claimed that some diseases were being misdiagnosed at an
alarming rate of 80%. A 2005 study in Histopathology
suggests that doctors still misdiagnose fatal diseases about a
third of the time.