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LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)

Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

LEGAL MEDICINE bleed freely because the blood

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vessels are cut cleanly and without

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 Branch of medicine which deals with ragged edges.
the application of medical
knowledge to the purpose of law and Eg.: Knife, blade, scalpel.
in the administration of justice.
 The application of basic and clinical, 4. Stab wound (saksak) – caused by an
medical and paramedical sciences to instrument sharp point with a sharp
elucidate legal matters. edge. A small surgical incision
caused by a thrust with a sharp
TYPES and NATURES of INJURY instrument. (single/ double bladed).
1. Lacerated wound / tear (putok) –
5. Hacking wound (taga) [bolo/axe] –
open wound caued by a blunt object
large incise wounds.
or instrument.
6. Contusion (pasa) – tapture of blood
These wounds are torn, rather than
vessels due to forceful contact due to
cut. They have ragged, irregular
a blunt object or instrument. Another
edges and masses of torn tissue
name for a bruise.
underneath. These wounds are
usually made by blunt, rather than
A bruise or contusion is caused when
sharp objects.
blood vessels are damaged or broken
as the result of a blow to the skin. (be
Eg: Fist blow in the face, bump of
it bumping against something or
the car, bamboo, lead pipe.
hitting yourself with a hammer.)
2. Punctured wound (tusok) – caused
7. Hematoma (bukol) – blood cyst or
by a sharp pointed instrument or
tumor – extravassation of blood that
object.
newly formed cavity, also cause by a
blunt object.
Punctures are caused by objects that
penetrate into the tissues while
An abnormal localized collection of
leaving a small surface opening.
blood in which the blood is usually
Wounds made by nails, needles,
clotted or partially clotted and is
wire, and bullets are usually
usually situated within an organ or
punctures. As a rule small puncture
soft tissue space, such as within a
wounds do not bleed freely.
muscle. A hematoma is caused by a
break in the wall of a blood vessel.
Eg.: Syringe, needle, pen, ice pick,
nail (.5cm.)
8. Abrasion (gasgas) – contact with a
rough surface / friction or scratching.
3. Incised wound (hiwa/ cut/ slash) –
caused by a sharp edged instrument.
Made when the skin is rubbed or
Incisions, commonly called CUTS
scraped off. Rope burns, flood burns,
are wounds caused by sharp cutting
and skinned knees or elbows are
instruments such as knives, razors,
common examples of abrasions.
and broken glass. Incisions tend to
©Manuel Rodriguez II
FEU – Institute of Law
LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)
Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

This kind of wound can become 2. External – from the time it leaves the

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infected quite easily because dirt and barrel of the gun

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germs are usually embedded in the 3. Terminal – effect of the bullet on an
tissues. object when hit
4. Medical – when a bullet hits human
Types of Abrasions body.

1. Linear Firearm identification – used to determine


2. Multi-linear whether the gun that is subject of the
3. Confluent (tapyas) investigation has the same gun used or fired.

Special Types of Wounds Parts of Ammunition (bala)

1. Patterned wound 1. Shell / cartridge


2. Defense wound 2. Gun powder – inside the shell
- A wound sustained when a 3. Primer – made up of lead, antimony,
victim places a hand, arm or barium
other body part to prevent or 4. Projectile (tingga)
minimize a blow or slashing by a
Products of Combustion
sharp weapon.
3. Self-inflicted wound 1. Smudging smoke or soop
4. Suicidal wound 2. Singeing – (kulot pag natamaan)
3. Tatooing, peppering, stippling
4. Contusion or collar
Gun Shot Wounds – A person with a gunshot -would help determine the relative
wound has an injury from a bullet that was position between the assailant or the
fired from a gun. victim and or the trajectory of the
bullet.
Classification of Firearms
1. Short (revolver, pistol) Point of Entry Point of Exit
2. Long (rifle, AK47, M16, Machine Smaller and oval in Usually bigger and
Gun etc.) shape unless it is a irregular or stellate
close contact fire. in shape.
Major parts of Firearm The edges are Everted, and tissued
1. Barrel inverted are protruding.
2. Handle Depending upon a Always negative.
3. Trigger distance, may be
4. Percussion cap positive for the
5. Firing Pin products of
6. Muzzle combustion and
paraffim.
Kinds of Ballistics Have a contusion or Absent
abrasion collar
1. Internal / Interior – from the time
you pull the trigger

©Manuel Rodriguez II
FEU – Institute of Law
LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)
Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

Perrafim test – used to determine whether Two Types of Witnesses:

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the subject has recently fired a gun or not.

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1. Ordinary – goes to court and specify
-not used to determine whether the subject is what he has perceived.
the killer or shooter. 2. Expert – goes to court to enlighten
the court to render his expert opinion
-the value of the test is only presumptive, on matters.
not conclusive, because of false positive and - He has authority on that
false negative results. particular field.
FALSE POSITIVE Subpoena – order issued by the court to a
person to appear in court.
1. Subject recently fired a gun
-totally not related to the incident in A “subpoena ad testificandum” is a court
question summons to appear and give oral testimony
for use at a hearing or trial.
2. Subject is a smoker
CONTEMPT OF COURT
3. Subject is a farmer who deals with
fertilizer. -any willfull disobedience to or disregard of
a court order or any misconduct in the
FALSE NEGATIVE
presence of a court action that interferes
1. Subject is a professional with a judge’s ability to administer justice or
2. Incessant rushing with water and that insults the dignity of the court.
soap (suka) Punishable by fine or imprisonment or both.
3. Paraffim test was done beyond 3
2 kinds:
days from the time of incident.
Direct – inside the court room or anywhere
WITNESS
in the court room
- A person who by perceiving and
Indirect – outside the court room, defied the
made known his perception to
order of the court.
others.
- Person who testifies under oath
in a trial with first hand or expert
evidence useful in a lawsuit. VIRGINITY
- A person who sees an event.
- A condition of a female who has
Who cannot be a witness? not experience sexual intercourse
and whose genital organs have
-Those who cannot made known his not been alteres by carnal
perception to others connection and whose hymen is
still intact.
* Children
Virtuous Female
* Senile / Insane
- If her body is pure and if she has
* Those who have previously been
never had any sexual intercourse
convicted of perjury

©Manuel Rodriguez II
FEU – Institute of Law
LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)
Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

with another though her mind -this term refers to a condition who

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and heart is impure. permits any form of sexual liberties

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as long as they abstain from
Kinds of Virginity: rupturing the hymen by sexual act.
- the woman may be embraced,
1. MORAL – the state of not knowing
kissed, may allow her breasts to be
the nature of sexual life and not
fondled, her private organ to be held
having experienced sexual relation.
and other lascivious acts.
- Applies to children below the age
- the woman allows sexual
of puberty and whose sex organs
intercourse but only “inter-femora”
and secondary sex characters are
or even “inter-labia” but not to the
not yet developed.
extent of rupturing the hymen.
2. PHYSICAL – condition whereby a
- hymen is still intact
woman is conscious of the nature of
the sexual life but has not 4. “VIRGO INTACTA”
experienced sexual intercourse.
- literally the term refers to a truly
The term applies to women who virgin woman; that there are structural
have reached sexual maturity but changes in her organ to infer previous sexual
have not experienced sexual intercourse and that she is a virtuous
intercourse. woman.
Distinction between True and False Physical - inasmuch as there are no conclusive
Virginity. evidence to prove the existence of such
condition, liberal authorities extend the
a) True Physical Virginity – a condition connotation of the term to include women
wherein hymen is intact with edges who have had previous sexual act or even
distinct and regular and the opening habitually but had not given birth.
small to barely admit the tip of the
smallest finger of the examiners even
if the thighs are separated.
b) False Physical Virginity – a Defloration – is the laceration or rupture of
condition wherein the hymen is the hymen as a result of sexual intercourse.
unruptured but the orifice is wide
- All other lacerations of the
and elastic to admit two or more
hymen which are not caused by
fingers of the examiner with a lesser
sexual act are not considered as
degree of resistance.
defloration.
-the hymen may be laxed and
distensible and may have previous Other causes of Hymenal Laceration:
sexual relation. In this particular
instance the physician may not be 1. Passage of clotted blood during
able to make a convincing menstruation
conclusion that the subject is virgin. 2. Ulceration due to disease like
diphtheria
3. Jumping or Running
4. Falling on hard sharp object
3. DEMI-VIRGIN
5. Medical instrumentation

©Manuel Rodriguez II
FEU – Institute of Law
LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)
Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

1. Somatic Death / Clinical Death

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o Dead for less than 3 hours.

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6. Self-scratching or irritation o Dead, but cells are still alive
7. Masturbation 2. Molecular /Cellular Death
8. Insertion of foreign bodies o Dead for 3-6 hours
9. Previous operation
o Death also of the cells
10. Horseback riding
3. “Apparent Death” or State of
11. Aerobics / biking
Suspended Animation
12. Throma to the genitalia
o Transient loss of
Degree of Laceration: consciousness or
o Temporary cessation of the
a) Incomplete Laceration vital functions of the body
- Rupture or laceration of the - It is important to determine the
hymen is considered incomplete condition of suspended animation to
when it does not involve the prevent premature burial.
whole width or height of hymen.
 Superficial – the laceration does not
go beyond one-half of the whole
width of the hymen MUSCULAR CHANGES in the BODY
following DEATH
 Deep – the laceration involves more
than one-half of the width of the Importance: help us determine the
hymen but not reaching the base. approximate time of death.
1. Stage of Primary Flaccidity:
b) Complete Laceration
-AKA “post-mortem irritability.”
- The hymenal laceration involves
-The muscles are relaxed and
the whole width but not beyond
capable of contracting when
the base of the hymen
stimulated.
-Died less than six (6) hours.
c) Compound or Complicated
- The laceration involves the 2. Stage of Post Mortem Rigidity:
hymen and also the surrounding
tissues. -AKA “Rigor Mortis”
- It may involve the hymen also -The whole body becomes rigid due
the surrounding tissues. to the contraction of the muscles.
- It may involve the perineum, - Six (6) – twenty four(24) hours
vaginal canal, urethra or rectum.
3. Stage of Secondary Flaccidity /
DEATH Onset of Decomposition:
- Complete cessation of all cardio- -AKA “commencement of
pulmonary (heart-lungs) and/or putrefaction”
cessation of brain activity. -Relaxed and soft but with foul odor
3 Kinds of Death - 24-36 hours ++

©Manuel Rodriguez II
FEU – Institute of Law
LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)
Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

Forensic Entomology – involves the insects -medico legal or -hospital based or

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that are eating up the body. mandatory autopsy. elective autopsy

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-done on those who -done to those who
POST MORTEM LIVIDITY died on non-natural died from natural
-it occurs in most extensive areas of the causes causes
most dependent portions of the body. -NO NEED for -consent from next
consent of the next of kin is needed,
Importance: to determine the position of the of kin. they will decide
body when the person died. -always a TOTAL whether it will be a
autopsy TOTAL or PARTIAL
2 KINDS: -Only those autopsy.
1. HYPOSTATIC LIVIDITY – blood still authorized by law -by the pathologist
fluid on form. may perform this of the hospital
2. DIFFUSION LIVIDITY – blood has kind of autopsy
already coagulated, blood already
clotted.

PERSONS ALLOWED BY LAW TO


PERFORM OFFICIAL AUTOPSY:
POST MORTEM EXAMINATION
- Medico legal of PNP
- Intermal examination of the dead. - Medico legal of NBI
Importance: to determine the cause of death. - Municipal/ Health Officers who are
considered ex-officio medical
AUTOPSY: officers
- Those authorized by an ordinance or
- Both the internal and external thru request from chief of police,
examination of the dead. mayor, prosecutor.
NEGATIVE AUTOPSY – after the autopsy,
cause of death is still unknown.
NEGLIGENT AUTOPSY – cause of death
is still unknown because of so many errors
committed during the autopsy.
An autopsy may be official and non official,
the differences are as follows:
OFFICIAL NON-OFFICIAL /
NON MEDICO
LEGAL

©Manuel Rodriguez II
FEU – Institute of Law

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