Medical Jurisprudence And Toxicology

4 MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE

The following cases from my note book would be quite sufficient to
substantiate the above remarks : —

1 In October 1919, the body of a Hindu girl, aged 10 years, was forwarded from
Police-Station, Kakori, with the station officer's report that the deceased was found with
a wound at the back of the neck. On examination eleven incised wounds were found on
the right mandible, chin, and the right side and back of the neck cutting into the third,
fourth and fifth cervical vertebrse and the spinal cord. There was also an incised wound
along the front of the left thumb.

2. In October 1921, the body of a Hindu boy, about 12 years old, was brought from
Police-Station, Goshamgunj, Lucknow District, with a report that the deceased was said
to have been beaten with a lathi which resulted in his death and that there were four
marks of injuries on his body. Post-mortem examination was held twenty hours after
death when only one bruise, f" X i", was found on the lower part of the right shoulder-
blade, and death was due to asthenia from chronic malaria.

3. On the 1st August 1922, post-mortem examination was held on the body of
Budhu, aged 40 years, brought from Police-Station, Malihabad, Lucknow District, with a
report that the deceased died from five injuries inflicted on the body, viz. one on the
right temple, one on the left shoulder, and three on the right side of the back. No external
injury could, however, be detected except an abrasion, J" X -I" above the left cheek bone.
On opening the abdomen, the spleen which was enlarged was found ruptured.

4. The body of a Maliuiuudan male, 48 years old, was forwarded for post-mortem
examination on the 18th March 1923, with a report that the deceased had been killed by
dacoits on the night of the 17th March and that there were several bruises on the face,
neck and other parts of the body. On examination, no injury was found anywhere on
the body except a slight laceration across the left upper eyelid and a small abrasion
across the left side of the neck. The stomach and intestines, on the contrary, revealed
the signs of irritant poisoning.

5. On the 26th February 1927, the body of one Kashi Parshad alias Kashidin, aged
22 years, was forwarded to the King George's Medical College Mortuary for post-mortem
examination with a police report that " after tiirning the body on all sides fiie deceased-
was found to have been shot in the head, and that there was an abrasion on the right
arm ". On examination I found no gun-shot wound on the head, but detected two lace-
rated wounds on the head, and nine contusions, varying from two and a half to four
inches by one inch, and five abrasions, varying from one-fourth to half an inch by one-
fourth inch, on several parts of the body. There was also an extensive fracture of the
vault of the skull and a laceration of the brain.

6. On the 14th March 1928, the body of one Raja Ram was sent to me for post-
mortem examination from Police-Station, Alain Bag, Lucknow, with a report that "ihe
left jaw was cut, the left testicle was pierced with some sharp pointed thing and there
were bruises round the loin and all over the chest and legs". On examination none of
these injuries were found on any of the parts mentioned above. But death was found to
be due to strangulation caused by a cord twisted twice round the neck.

(4) The police-officer is not' to blame in all cases, as he sometimes finds
it difficult^ to furnish the medical officer with really trustworthy information
for his guidance inasmuch as, owing to the unwillingness of the relatives and
neighbours to appear before a Magistrate and give evidence on oath, or,
owing to a false notion about the honour of the parties concerned, no one
comes forward to volunteer a statement, even if he was present when the
crime was committed.

(5) AJbtof^crme^ the prevailing custom o£
cremation^or biHial of bcK&es soon aftei^ any
medical fertffi fivers, wells and
jtmgies situated on the outskirts of" villages',""" there" is" great facility for
concealing dead bodies, which are Kkely to be eaten by dogs, jackals and
birds of prey to an extent which will render them difficult of recognition.
In October 1918, I saw the body of a Brahmin male, whose ears had been
so nicely gnawed through by rats that they appeared to have been cut away
by a knife, unless examined very carefully.

(6) Owing to the climatic conditions in India decomposrtion of bodies
ta^:es i?^66 ^u^ more, rapidly than in Western countries, and this "is a
mSffient occurrence in the hot and rainy seasons owing to the fact that a body
tes to be carried for long distances in a dooly either in a bullock cart or on