SECTION I
FORENSIC MEDICINE
CHAP. PAGE
Introduction[ 1]
I.Legal Criminal Procedure[ 2]
II.Medical Evidence Generally, Identity[11]
III.Modes of Dying, Sudden Death, Signs of Death[38]
IV.Post-mortem Examinations and Exhumations,
Instructions of the Crown Office in Scotland[56]
V.Assaults, Homicide, and Wounds[68]
VI.Blood Stains, Spectra, and Biological Tests[89]
VII.Burns and Scalds, Contusions and Bruises[110]
VIII.Suffocation, Hanging, Strangling, and Throttling[118]
IX.Drowning[127]
X.Death from Starvation, Cold and Heat,
Lightning and Electricity[132]
XI.Offences against Chastity[140]
XII.Pregnancy and Delivery[150]
XIII.Fœticide, or Criminal Abortion[159]
XIV.Infanticide, Live Birth, Cause of Death to the Fœtus[165]
XV.Inheritance, Legitimacy, Impotence and Sterility,
Survivorship, Malpraxis and Neglect of Duty, Feigned
Diseases, Exemption from Public Duties, Wills[184]
XVI.Mental unsoundness, General Symptoms of Insanity,
Mania, Melancholia, Dementia, Restraint of the Insane,
Forms of Medical Certificates, Testamentary Capacity[192]
SECTION II
TOXICOLOGY
I.Definition of a Poison, Sale of Poisons, Classification
of Poisons, Action of Poisons, General Evidence
of Poisoning, General Treatment in Cases of Poisoning,
General Methods of Examination for Poison[227]
II.Division 1: Chemical—Corrosive Poisons[246]
III.Division 2: Vital—Metalloid Irritants[267]
IV.Metallic Irritants[274]
V.Vegetable and Animal Irritants[317]
VI.Food Poisoning (Bromatotoxismus[328]
VII.Vegetable Alkaloids[335]
VIII.Narcotic Poisons[343]
IX.Deliriant Poisons[349]
X.Inebriant Poisons[354]
XI.Sedative Poisons[364]
XII.Cerebral Poisons[377]
XIII.Neural Poisons[385]
XIV.Excitomotory Poisons[388]
XV.Irrespirable Gases[397]

INDEX
[405]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

SECTION I
FORENSIC MEDICINE
Plate showing Centre of Ossification in the Lower Epiphysi ofPAGE
Femur in full time Fœtus[To face 64]
FIG.
1.Finger Prints[24]
2.Finger Prints[25]
3.Photo-micrograph of transverse section of Normal Hair Follicle[27]
4.Photo-micrograph of Wool Fibres[90]
5.Photo-micrograph of Flax Fibres[91]
6.Photo-micrograph of Silk Fibres[92]
7.Photo-micrograph of Cotton Fibres[93]
8.Measurement of Blood Corpuscles (human)[97]
9.Measurement of Blood Corpuscles (sheep)[97]
10.Photo-micrograph of Red Blood Corpuscles from Domestic Fowl[99]
11.Photo-micrograph of Blood Corpuscles of Fish[99]
12.Photo-micrograph of Blood Corpuscles from a Dried Stain of the Blood of a Cod-fish[100]
13.Photo-micrograph of a Frog‘s Blood showing oval nucleated Red Corpuscles[101]
14.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Hæmin[102]
15.Blood Spectra[104]
[16.] Pulse Tracings before and after Execution
[17.]
[18.]opposite 121
19.Hymen of Child of Four Years—Annular Type[144]
20.Virgin Hymen, with Central Slit[144]
21.Photo-micrograph of Human Spermatozoa[147]
22.Deflorated Hymen, after Parturition, in Adult Woman[149]
23.Abortion at Fourth Week[159]
24.Abortion between Sixth and Eighth Week[160]
25.Abortion at Tenth Week[160]
26.Photo-micrograph of Human Milk[177]
27.Photo-micrograph of Starch Granules[179]
SECTION II
TOXICOLOGY
28.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Oxalic Acid[258]
29.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Oxalic Acid[259]
30.Photo-micrograph of Sublimate of Arsenious Acid obtained by Reinsch‘s Process[284]
31.Dowzard‘s Apparatus for Gutzeit‘s Test for Arsenic[285]
32.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Tartarated Antimony[292]
33.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Tartarated Antimony[293]
34.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Corrosive Sublimate[298]
35.Photo-micrograph of Globules of Mercury obtained by Reinsch‘s Process[303]
36.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Hydrochloride of Morphine[339]
37.Photo-micrograph of Meconic Acid crystallised from Aqueous Solution[340]
38.Photo-micrograph of Meconic Acid crystallised from an Alcoholic Solution[340]
39.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Cyanide of Silver obtained by the Vapour Test[372]
40.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Strychnine Sulphate from an Aqueous Solution[389]
41.Photo-micrograph of Crystal of Strychnine Sulphate from Aqueous Solution[389]
42.Photo-micrograph of Strychnine Sulphate, Film Preparation from Chloroform Solution[391]
43.Photo-micrograph of Chromate of Strychnine[391]
44.Photo-micrograph of Sulphocyanate of Strychnine[392]
45.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Brucine Sulphate[395]
46.Photo-micrograph of Crystals of Brucine Sulphate[395]

FORENSIC MEDICINE
AND TOXICOLOGY

SECTION I

FORENSIC MEDICINE

INTRODUCTION

Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine, or Legal Medicine are terms for that science which teaches the application of the knowledge of all branches of medical and surgical science and art to the solution of every question connected with the conservation of the species and the administration of Justice. We find traces of this science in the Jewish law; among the Egyptians, according to Plutarch; and even among the Romans as early as the times of Numa Pompilius. Among German writers the term State Medicine includes both Medical Jurisprudence and Medical Police, Public Health, or Sanitary Science.

The special knowledge requisite to the Medical Jurist differs in many ways from that requisite for the art of healing the sick. The majority of medical students and practitioners may consider a simple exercise of common sense in the application of their general professional knowledge to the elucidation of problems of medico-legal import all that is requisite, and that no special training is necessary for the purpose. They may hope that it may never fall to their lot to be called upon to act in the capacity of medical jurists. It may occur, however, to any medical practitioner at any time of his professional career that his services be requisitioned by law for the purpose of elucidating problems of such a nature as will demand from him thought and judgment quite apart from those he exercises in the ordinary course of his medical and surgical practice. From such a requisition he has no escape; he cannot shift his responsibility to another, and it behoves him, therefore, to acquire a knowledge of Forensic Medicine, in order to guide him, when so called upon, to give such evidence as will enable a judge and jury to arrive at a just conclusion. The relations of all medical practitioners to the State are twofold—first, as healers of disease, and secondly, both as guardians of the innocent against unfounded criminal charges and aids towards the detection and punishment of crime.