A TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF LEGAL MEDICINE

WORLD
YEAR SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

2980 BC The earliest recorded medico-legal expert was Imhotep.

The Code of Hammurabi, the oldest code of law, was conceived. It includes legislation on
2200 BC
adultery, rape, divorce, incest, abortion, and violence.
Numa Pompilius promulgated that bodies of all women dying during confinement should
600 BC
immediately be opened in order to save the child’s life.
460 – 355 BC Hippocrates of Greece discussed the lethality of wounds.

384 – 322 BC Aristotle fixed animation of fetus at the 40th day of conception.
The Chinese materia medica gave information on poison including aconite, arsenic, and
300 BC
opium.
200 BC Hashish was said to have been used as a narcotic in surgery.
Julius Cesar was murdered and his body was exposed in the forum. Antistius, the first “police
100 – 44 BC
surgeon” or forensic pathologist then, performed the autopsy.
Justinian in his Digest, made mention that a physician is not an ordinary witness and that a
483 – 565 AD physician gives judgment rather than testimony. This led to the recognition of expert witness
in court.
Pope Innocent III issued an edict providing for the appointment of doctors to the courts for the
1209
determination of the nature of wounds.
Pope Gregory IX caused the preparation of Nova Compilatio Decretalium which concerned
1234 medical evidence, marriage, nullity, impotence, delivery, caesarian section, legitimacy, sexual
offenses, crime against persons and witchcraft.
Pope John XXII expressed the need of experts in the ecclesiastical courts, in the diagnosis of
leprosy and many medico-legal documents.
14th Century In China, the Hsi Yuan Lu (Instructions to Coroner) was published. It is a five volume book
dealing with inquest, criminal abortion, infanticide, signs of death, assault, suicide, hanging,
strangling, drowning, burning, poisoning and antidotes, and examination of the dead.
The first textbook in legal medicine was included in the Constituto Criminalis Carolina. This
1532
was promulgated during the reign of Emperor Charles V in Germany.
Ambroise Pare considered legal medicine as a separate discipline and he discussed in his
book abortion, infanticide, death by lightning, hanging, drowning, feign diseases, distinction
1575
between ante-mortem and post-mortem wound and poisoning by carbon monoxide and by
corrosives.
Paulus Zacchias, a papal physician, is regarded as the "father of forensic medicine." He
1584 – 1659 published Questiones Medico-legales which dealt with the legal aspects of wounds and the
first two chapter dealt with the detection of secret homicide.
Severin Pineau published in Paris a work on virginity and defloration. He confirmed the
1598
existence of the hymen and that it may not rupture during sexual intercourse.
Orfila introduced chemical methods in toxicology. In his Traite' des Poison, he mentioned
1787 – 1853 mineral, vegetable and animal poison in relation with physiology, pathology and legal
medicine. He was considered later as the founder of modern toxicology.
 A TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF LEGAL MEDICINE

PHILIPPINES
YEAR SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
The first medical textbook by Spanish physician, Dr. Rafael Genard y Mas, Chief Army
1858 Physician, entitled "Manual de Medicina Domestica" was printed. It includes pertinent
instructions related to medico-legal practice.
The teaching of legal medicine is included as an academic subject in the foundation of
1871
the School of Medicine of the Real y Pontifica Universidad de Santo Tomas.
By virtue of the Royal Decree No. 188 of the King of Spain, the position of
March 31, 1876 "MedicoTitulares" was created and made in charge of public sanitation and at the same
time medico-legal aid in the administration of justice.
1894 Rules regulating the services of those "Medico Titular y Forences" was published.
A medico-legal laboratory was established in the City of Manila and at the same
1895
extended its services to the provinces.
1898 The American Civil Government preserved the Spanish forensic medicine system.
The Philippine Commission created the provincial, insular and municipal Board of Health
(Act Nos. 157, 307 and 308) in the Philippines and assigned to the respective inspectors
1901 and presidents of the same, medico-legal duties of the "Medico Titulares" of the
Spanish regime. The Philippine Legislature maintained the pre-existing medico-legal
system in full force in the Administrative Code.
The Philippine Medical School incorporated the teaching of Legal Medicine, one hour a
1908
week, to the fifth year medical students.
The University of the Philippines created the Department of Legal Medicine and Ethics
1919 with the head having the salary of 4,000.00 pesos per annum, half-time basis, with Dr.
Sixto de los Angeles as the chief.
The head of the Department of Legal Medicine and Ethics became the Chief of the
January 10, 1992
Medico-Legal Department of the Philippine General Hospital without pay.
The Philippine Legislature enacted Act. No. 1043 which became incorporated in the
March 10, 1922 Administrative Code as Section 2465 and provided that the Department of Legal
Medicine, University of the Philippines, became a branch of the Department of Justice.
Commonwealth Act. No. 181 was passed creating the Division of Investigation under the
December 10, 1937 Department of Justice. The Medico-Legal Section was made as an integral part of the
Division with Dr. Gregorio T. Lantin as the chief.
The Department of Legal Medicine of the College of Medicine, University of the
Marc 3, 1939 Philippines was abolished and its functions were transferred to the Medico-Legal Section
of the Division of Investigation under the Department of Justice.
President Jose P. Laurel consolidated by executive order all the different law-enforcing
July 4, 1942
agencies and created the Bureau of Investigation on July 8,1944.
Immediately after liberation of the City of Manila, the Provost Marshal of the United
States Army created the Criminal Investigation Laboratory with the Office of the Medical
1945
Examiner as an integral part and with Dr. Mariano Lara as Chief Medical
Examiner.
June 28, 1945 The Division of Investigation, under the Department of Justice was reactivated.
 A TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF LEGAL MEDICINE

PHILIPPINES
YEAR SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
A Republic Act. No. 157 creating the Bureau of Investigation was passed. The Bureau of
Investigation was created by virtue of an executive order of the President of the
June 19, 1947
Philippines. Under the bureau, a Medico-Legal Division was created with Dr. Enrique V.
de los Santos as the Chief.
The Republic Act 409 which was later amended by Republic Act 1934 provides (Sec.
June 18, 1949 38) for the creation of the office of the Medical Examiners and Criminal Investigation
Laboratory under the Police Department of the City of Manila.
Presidential Decree 856 was promulgated. Section 95 thereof provides:
A. Persons authorized to perform autopsies:
1. Health officers
2. Medical officers of law enforcement agencies
3. Members of the medical staff of accredited hospitals
B. Autopsies shall be performed in the following cases:
1. Whenever required by special laws;
December 23, 1975
2. Upon order of a competent court, a mayor and a provincial or city fiscal;
3. Upon written request of police authorities,
4. Whenever the Solicitor General, provincial or city fiscal deem it necessary to
disinter and take possession of the remains for examination to determine the
cause of death;
5. Whenever the nearest kin shall request in writing the authorities concerned to
ascertain the cause of death.