forensic medicine

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The branch of medicine concerned with the resolution of legal issues by the application of scientific medical knowledge. The issues may be of criminal or civil nature. The specialty of forensic medicine is often referred to as legal medicine in Europe and in Spanish-speaking countries. The development of forensic medicine began in Europe in the early nineteenth century. Although forensic medicine has its basis in the specialty of pathology, physicians in other specialties, such as psychiatry, orthopedics, cardiology, and neurology as well as specialists in other disciplines, may be called on to resolve legal questions posed by judges, attorneys, investigators, and hearing boards.

In death investigations, a number of forensic specialists may work together. A forensic odontologist may be called in to identify the deceased person through dental examination, or the perpetrator of bite marks left on the deceased's body. A forensic anthropologist may be needed to identify skeletal remains; a forensic toxicologist for the identification of poisons or drugs; and a criminalist for investigation at the scene and collection of evidence, or for study of trace evidence such as blood stains, hair, paints, and seminal fluid. In cases of equivocal suicides, forensic psychiatrists and psychologists may be called in. Recently the biomechanical engineer has been added to the roster of forensic specialists, to test and study injury patterns to determine how the injury came about. The forensic medical specialist may express an opinion in writing or may be required to testify in person in the courtroom. As with all legal proceedings, the physician witness must be cognizant of issues such as the degree of proof, the chain of custody of specimens or evidence, competency of the witness, and court procedures.

An important development in forensic medicine is genetic analysis. Every individual has a unique genetic content determined by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences. The DNA present in forensic samples such as hair, bloodstains, and seminal fluid can identify a suspect. One analysis technique is called DNA fingerprinting; it can be used to compare the DNA sequence of a suspect or a defendant with material evidence at the crime scene. The DNA is broken into unique fragments by restriction endonucleases and then separated by electrophoresis. The pattern seen after hybridization with specific probes is called the DNA fingerprint, and like an ordinary fingerprint is characteristic of the individual. DNA analysis is also used in identification of an unknown person or of parts of a human body. Paternity exclusion by ABO blood typing has been replaced by DNA fingerprinting. See also Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA); Forensic anthropology; Forensic toxicology.

The science that applies the principles and practice of the different branches of medicine in the elucidation of doubtful questions in a court of justice. Also called forensic medicine.