Forensic Medicine

1. Identification
from skeletal
remains

2.  Age
 Sex
 Race
 Stature

3. Race
 Race can be determine from the
examination of :
1. Skull
2. Mandible
3. Teeth
4. Limb bones.

4. Skull
Certain differences exist between
 Negroid (Black )
 Caucasoid ( Europeans ).
 Mongoloid ( Native Americans,
Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, South
east Asians )

5. Race can be determine by:
1. Cephalic index.
( breadth index ).
2. Height index.
3. Nasal index.

6. Cephalic index
 The cephalic index is calculated as
maximum breadth divided by
maximum length of the skull
multiplied by 100.

7.  Breadth is measured above the
mastoid process.
 Length is measured between the
glabella and the occipital protrobrance
with caliper.

8. Type of skull Cephalic index Race
Dolico cephalic
( long headed )
70 -74.9 Aryans, Black .
Mesati
cephalic (
medium headed
)
75 – 79.9 Europeans,
Brachy
cephalic (
round headed)
80 or > Mongolians

9. Height index
 The height index is calculated as
height of the skull divided by length
of the skull, multiplied by 100.

10. Nasal index
 The nasal index is calculated as
width of nasal aperture divided by
height of nasal aperture multiplied by
100.

11. Blacks Europeans Mongols
Cephalic
index ( CI )
70 – 74.9 75 – 79.9 80 and
above
Height index
( HI )
72 71 75
Nasal index
( NI )
55 46 50

12. Other differences in different
races
Blacks European Mongols
Orbits Square Triangular Rounded
Nasal
opening
Broad Narrow and
elongated
Rounded
Palate Rectangular Triangular Rounded

13.  The cheek bones or zygomatic arches
are prominent in mongols.
 in mongols, unlike other groups, the
face width generally exceeds the
head width.

14. Mandible and teeth
In Blacks
 lower jaw is strongly prognathic .
 Third molar is bigger than the first two
molars.

15. In Mongols:
 Shovel shaped of upper central incisors.
 Enamel pearls: are small nodules of
enamel on the tooth surface.
 Taurodontism ( bull tooth ): these are
common in Mongols. The pulp cavity is
wide and deep and roots are fused.
 Congenital lack of third upper molar is
common.

16. In white Races
 Carbelli`s cusp: Small nodules on lingual
surface of maxillary molar is common.

17. Limb Bones
 Radio-humeral index
(Brachial index):
Length of RADIUS divided by length
of HUMERUS multiplied by 100.
Europeans Blacks
Radio-
humeral index
Below 75 Above 80

18. Tibio-femoral index
( Crural index ):
Length of tibia divided by length of
femur multiplied by 100.
Europeans Blacks
Tibio-femoral
index
Below 83 Above 83

19. Sex determination
from skeleton

20. General features
Males Females
1 Skeleton comparatively
bigger and stouter, weight
= 4.5 kg
Skeleton comparatively
smaller and slender,
weight = 3.00 kg
2 Muscular ridges,
depressions and
processes more
prominent.
Muscular ridges,
depressions and processes
less prominent.
3 Shaft of long bones
relatively rough & articular
surfaces & ends larger
Shaft of long bones
relatively smooth &
articular surfaces & ends
smaller.

21. Male pelvis Female pelvis
1 Bony framework massive Bony framework less
massive
2 Inlet: deep & narrow Inlet: shallow & wide
3 Ant. Superior iliac spines
not widely seperated
Ant. Superior iliac spines
widely separated
4 Ilium less expanded Ilium more expanded
5 Subpubic arch narrow, V
shaped, angle= 70 degree
Subpubic arch wide, U
shaped, angle>90 degree
6 Ischial tuberosities =
inverted
Ischial tuberosities =
everted

23. 7 Obturator foramen =
ovoid
Obturator foramen =
triangular
8 Greater sciatic notch
narrow, deep, & less
then right angle
Greater sciatic notch wide,
shallow & almost right
angle.
9 Sacrum long & narrow,
has five or more
segments. Well marked
promontory
Sacrum wide & short, has
five segments. Promontory
less marked.
10 Acetabulum wider &
deeper
Acetabulum narrower &
shallower
11 Pelvic brim heart shaped Pelvic brim circular, elliptical

24. 12 Anterior curvature is
equally distributed
along its length.
Anterior curvature is
straight in upper half &
sharply curved in lower
half.
13 Articular surface of
sacrum extends to 2 ½
to 3 vertebral bodies
Articular surface of
sacrum extends to 2 to 2
½ vertebral bodies

25. Femur
Male femur Female femur
1 Head of femur is larger Head of femur is smaller
2 Articular surface forms
more then two thirds of
sphere
Articular surface forms less
then two thirds of sphere
3 Neck forms obtuse angle
with shaft (125 degree)
Neck forms right angle
with shaft

26. Skull
Male Female
1 Bigger, heavier &
rough.
Smaller, lighter, &
smooth.
2 Cranial capacity
almost 10 % more
Cranial capacity almost
10 % less
3 Frontal sinuses more
developed
Frontal sinuses less
developed
4 Fronto-nasal
angulation distinct
Fronto-nasal angulation
smoothly curved

27. Male skull Female skull
5 Glabella, supra-orbital
rigdes, zygomatic arch,
mastoid process,
occipital protuberance,
occipital condyle &
muscular attachments
are more pronouced.
Glabella, supra-orbital
rigdes, zygomatic arch,
mastoid process, occipital
protuberance, occipital
condyle & muscular
attachments are less
pronouced.
6 Orbital opening
comparatively big &
rectangular
Orbital opening
comparatively small &
rounded
7 Facial bones more
massive & not delicate
in texture.
Facial bones less massive
& delicate in texture.

28. Spinal column
Male Female
1 Mean breadth of first
cervical vertebra
83 mm
Mean breadth of first
cervical vertebra
72mm
2 Lumbar lordosis less
marked
Lumbar lordosis more
marked

29. Mandible
Male Female
1 Lower jaw more
massive
Lower jaw less massive
2 Chin - square Chin – pointed or
rounded
3 Symphyseal height
more
Symphyseal height less
4 Ramus – more broad Ramus – less broad
5 Angle region - everted Angle region – not
everted

30. Thorax
Male Female
1 Thoracic cage – longer &
narrower
Thoracic cage – shorter &
wider
2 The ribs have a less
pronounced curvature
The ribs have a more
pronounced curvature
3 Body of sternum is bigger
& more then twice the
length of manubrium
Body of sternum is shorter
& less then twice the
length of manubrium
4 Upper border of sternum
at level of body of 2nd
thoracic vertebra
Upper border of sternum
at level of body of 3nd
thoracic vertebra

31. Sacral index
 Sacral index ( SI ): calculated as breadth of base
divided by anterior length of sacrum multiplied by 100.
Male Female
Sacral index 112 116

32. Ischio-pubic index
 Ischio-pubic index ( IPI ): calculated by ischial length
divided by pubic length multiplied by 100.
Male Female
Ischio-pubic
index
73 - 94 91 -115

33. According to Krogman, degree of
accuracy to determine sex from
bone
Entire skeleton 100 %
Pelvis & skull 98 %
Pelvis alone 95 %
Skull alone 90 %
Long bones alone 80 %

34. Age
determination
from skeleton

35. Mandible
Features Infancy Adult Old age
1 Angle b/w
ramus &
body
Obtuse right angle obtuse
2 Body Shallow &
small
Thin &
elongated
Shallow &
big
3 Ramus Short &
oblique
Stunted Long &
oblique
4 Condylar
process
at lower
level than
coronoid
process
Above the
level of
coronoid
process
Neck is
bent
backward

36. 5 Mental
formamen
Placed near
to the lower
border
Midway b/w
upper &
lower border
Near the
alveolar
margin

37. Spinal column
 In youth : upper and lower surfaces of bodies
of the vertebrae bear radial markings, at age of
10 years.
 By the age of 30 years, they begin to fade and
disappear.
 The osteophytic outgrowths from the anterior
and lateral margins of the intervertebral discs
become visible by 40 years.

38.  The disc undergoes atrophic changes by
about 40 – 45 years.