Forensic Pathology

Question 1

What is Locards Principle?

Answer 1

Every contact leaves a trace in some form (e.g. hair, blood, saliva, fibers, etc…)

Question 2

Who is the GMC and their function?

Answer 2

General Medical Council protects, promotes, and maintains the health of the public by ensuring proper standard in medical practice.

Question 3

What other regulatory bodies are present in the medical field?

Answer 3

Home office, pathology delivery board, etc…

Question 4

What is the Human Tissue Act?

Answer 4

Regulates the removal, storage, use and disposal of relevant material.

Question 5

How is the crime scene investigated by a forensic pathologist in terms of enviroment and the body?

Answer 5

Enviroment; what is in the surrounding area of the body? Are they outdoors or indoors? Etc…
Body; what is happening with the body? Is it clothed? Position of the body?

Question 6

What is blood spatter analysis?

Answer 6

The analysis of blood patterns on objects and/or bodies.

Question 7

How is blood spatter analysis used?

Answer 7

BSA is used by invetsigators to piece together a scenario of which a suspicious death may have occured. (e.g. Hand/Foot Print, Angle of spatter)

Question 8

What does the coroner investigate?

Answer 8

Unexpected deaths on a ‘balance of probabilities’ basis

Question 9

What does the forensic team investiage?

Answer 9

Suspcious deaths/criminal investigation on a ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’ basis

Question 10

What is the role of an autopsy?

Answer 10

Provides adequte samples for identification, documentation, establishing manner and cause of death, etc..

Question 11

What kind of external samples are taken?

Answer 11

Hair, nails, sexual swabs

Question 12

What kind of internal samples are taken?

Answer 12

Blood, urine, organs

Question 13

How might a body be identified?

Answer 13

Visual identification(face), Fingerprints, teeth, DNA

Question 14

How is a body externally documented?

Answer 14

Documented information from external observation include: Build, Height/weight, injuries, postpartum changes.

Question 15

What are the three postpartum changes that occur?

Answer 15

Putrefaction; decomposition changes
Hypostasis; blood pooling
Rigor mortis; stiffness

Question 16

Name a few types of injuries.

Answer 16

Sharp
Blunt
Patterns 
Resus.
Enviorment 
Gunshot

Question 17

What is the role of a forensic pathologist in court?

Answer 17

An independant expert witness brought on for the court.

Question 18

How does the enviroment cause injury or death? Interpretation?

Answer 18

Heat; can be caused by fire, smoke inhalation(if patient is alive, soot is found in trachea), CO, burns
Water; death in water(natural or accident?) or death in land(fall in or dumped?).
Cold; Hypothermia

Question 19

How does resusitation cause injury or death? Interpretation?

Answer 19

Attempted resusitation can cause oral/nasal injuries, fractures, and puncture wounds which should be ruled out from possible assault injuries.

Question 20

How do guns cause injury or death? Interpretation?

Answer 20

The type of gunshot wound can be analysed and infered from the corresponding ammo which is used in a certain type of gun allowing for the identification of the weapon used