Text-book of forensic medicine and toxicologyBuchanan, R. J. M. (Robert James McLean)
Science
Text-book of forensic medicine and toxicology
Buchanan, R. J. M. (Robert James McLean)
Medical jurisprudence; Poisons
18. In this part of the examination it will sometimes be necessary to
observe the particulars by which the body may be identified. These are
numerous. But the most important are the stature, the age and sex,
the degree of plumpness, the size and form of the nose and mouth, the
colour of the eyes and hair, the state of the teeth, warts, nævi,
deformities, scars of old abscesses, ulcers, and wounds, and, if a
woman, marks of her having had one or more children.
19. The body is next to be washed, if necessary, and the hair of the
head shaved, or at least closely cut; and a thorough examination of
the whole integuments is to be made. At this stage the inspectors will
look particularly for the appearance of lividity, noting its chief
seat and its relation to the posture in which the body was found--for
impressions on the skin of objects on which it had rested--for marks of
injuries, more especially contusions, taking care to ascertain their
real nature by making incisions through the skin--for marks of disease,
such as eruptions, ulcers, and the like--for marks of burning--for
marks of concealed punctures in the nostrils, mouth, external openings
of the ears, the eyes, the nape of the neck, the arm-pits, the anus,
the vagina, and beneath the mammæ or scrotum; in infants, also in the
fontanelles and the whole course of the spine. At this stage, wounds
and other injuries should be carefully examined according to the
directions given in Division V. (_infra_). Where the injury may have
caused loss of blood, the presence or absence of pallor of the skin,
lining membrane of the mouth, and the gums ought to be noted.
IV. Dissection, or Internal Examination of the Body
20. In commencing the dissection of the body, it must be laid down as
an invariable rule that all the great cavities should be examined, and
also every important organ in each, however distinctly the cause of
death may seem to be indicated in one of them. It is right to examine
the cavity of the spine, and at all events its upper portion, in any
case where an unequivocal cause of death has not been discovered
elsewhere.
21. In examining the organs situated in the several cavities of the
body the inspectors must be guided in a great measure by their ordinary
anatomical and pathological knowledge.
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