In this module:

 Concept and nature of Legal medicine

 Autopsy vs. Post-Mortem Examination
 Medico-Legal Aspect of Death
 Physical Injuries
 Concept of Virginity

Legal medicine and forensic medicine has a big role in criminal investigation. This module
discuss the nature and concept of legal medicine and the forensic medical examination that
explains what are the cause of death and injuries of a person and how does the medico-legal
officers examine the cause of death of a person.

At the completion of this module, you should be able to:

 Understand the concept and nature of legal medicine;
 Compare and contrast Autopsy and Post –Mortem Examination;
 Determine the stages of muscular changes of a cadaver;
 Determine the types of physical injuries obtained by the cadaver;
 Inculcate the importance of virginity in solving sexually abuse crimes;
 Research case study that focuses on ano-genital injury.
DIRECTION: Read the following questions and statement carefully. Choose and encircle the answer
of your choice.
1. It is a branch of medicine which deals with the application of medical knowledge to the purpose
of law and in the administration of justice.
a. Medical Jurisprudence c. Forensic medicine
b. Legal Medicine d. Criminalistics
2. A branch of medical science which deals with the application of medical knowledge to
elucidate legal problems.
a. Medical Jurisprudence c. Forensic medicine
b. Legal Medicine d. Criminalistics
a. Who is the father of medicine?
a. Antistius c. Hippocrates
b. Lombroso d. Beccaria
3. Refers to an external examination a dead body without incision being made, although blood
and other bloody fluids may be collected for examination.
a. Autopsy c. Operation
b. Post-Mortem Examination d. Surgery
4. When performing autopsy on a dead body, it should be _______.
a. Whenever required by special laws
b. Upon order of a competent court
c. Upon written request of police authorities
d. None of the above
5. It is the termination of life and complete loss of vital functions of the body.
a. Life c. Death
b. Brain dead d. Comatose
6. It is the stage of muscular change upon death characterized the relaxation of muscles and loss
of their natural tone.
a. Secondary Flaccidity c. Rigor Mortis
b. Algor Mortis d. Primary Flaccidity
7. It is a break or solution in the continuity of the skin or tissues of the living body.
a. Dislocation c. Wound
b. Fracture d. Asphyxia
8. It is the intentional act of cutting or looping any part or parts of the living body.
a. Amputation c. Wound
b. Mutilation d. Fracture
9. It is a condition of a woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse and whose genital
organ has not been altered by sexual intercourse.
a. Wound c. Virginity
b. Genital Wound d. None of these
10. Juris means:
a. Person b. Knowledge c. Law d. Crime
 At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:
 Define the concept of legal medicine;
 Understand the concept and nature of legal medicine;
 Highlight the importance of Legal medicine in criminal Investigation;
 Create a timeline development of legal medicine.

3 hours per week.

This lesson introduces the Concept and Nature of Legal Medicine. As a criminology student, it
is necessary that you should know and understand the concept and nature of legal medicine
as well as its history. This lesson provides you with learning activity and reading materials that
will deepen your understanding about legal medicine.
Direction: Select at least 3 words in the word bank that is related to legal medicine and define each
words.

1. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Direction: consider the questions below, your answer must composed of three (3) to five (5)
sentences only.
RUBRICS:
Content- 4
Organization of ideas- 2
Justification of the answers- 4
10 points

1. What do you think is the concept of legal medicine?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. How important legal medicine in criminal investigation?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
In order to understand Legal Medicine, let us define and understand first the following:
Legal
• Pertains to law, arising out of, by virtue of or included in law.
• Refers to anything conformable to the letters or rules of law as it is administered by the court.
Forensic
• It denotes anything belonging to the court of law or used in court or legal proceedings or
something fitted for legal or public argumentations.
Medicine
• Is a science and art dealing with prevention, cure and alleviation of disease.
• It is part of science and art of restoring and preserving health.
• It also applied to science and art of diagnosing, treating, curing and preventing disease,
relieving pain, and improving the health of a person.

Branches of medicine:

1. Pediatrics
2. Geriatrics
3. Obstetrics
4. Gynecology
5. EESurgery
6. NT (eyes, ears, nose and throat)
7. General medicine
8. Legal medicine
9. Pathology
10. Physiology

What is Legal medicine?

Legal Medicine
• A branch of medicine which deals with the application of medical knowledge to the purpose of
law and in the administration of justice.

What is forensic medicine?

Forensic Medicine
• A branch of medical science which deals with the application of medical knowledge to
elucidate legal problems.

Medical Jurisprudence
• Juris means law
• Prudentia means knowledge
• It denotes knowledge of law in relation to the practice of medicine
 • It is a branch of law which deals with the organization and regulation of the medical profession.

Nature of legal medicine

1. Acquisition of facts which are essential;

2. The power to arrange these facts in logical order; and
3. Drawing of conclusion.

HISTORY OF LEGAL MEDICINE

Roots of Legal Medicine

Antistius
 First police surgeon or the first forensic pathologist
 He performed an autopsy on a very famous stabbing victim- Julius
Caesar.
 Caesar had been stabbed 23 times
 This is perhaps the first recorded evidence of application of medical
knowledgeto solve a homicide- and helped develop the role of an
expert witness who is a pathologist
Hippocrates

 Father of medicine
 Discussed the lethality of wounds and formulated medical ethics
 His contributions to medicine include detailed observations of
disease and its effects, and an understanding of how health is often
influenced by diet, breakdowns in bodily processes, and the
environment.

Imhotep

• The chief physician of the Egypt on King Zoser’s regime

• A builder (architect) of the first pyramid
• Considered as the first or earliest recorded medico-legal expert.

Martheu Orfila

• Father of toxicology
• Orfila worked to make chemical analysis a routine part of forensic
medicine, and made studies of asphyxiation, the decomposition of
bodies, and exhumation
([Link]/exhibition/visibleproofs/galleries/biographies/orfil
[Link])
Paulus Zacchias
• Paulus Zacchias (1584-1659) was the personal physician of the
popes Innocent X and Alexander VII, legal advisor to the Rota
Romana and head of the health system in the Papal States.
• Father of Forensic Medicine
• The father of legal medicine
• Father of forensic psychiatry
• The author of the "Quaestiones Medico-Legales"

Paul Zacchias or Paolo Zacchia was an Italian physician, teacher of medical science, forensic
medicine, medio-legal jurist, philosopher, and poet.
Topinard and Rolet
• Two French anatomist who devised a formula for the determination of
the height for male and female. (FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY)

HISTORY OF LEGAL MEDICINE IN PHILIPPINES

1858
• First medical textbook printed- included in pre-curriculum of college of medicine in university of
Santo Tomas
1895
 Medico-legal laboratory was established in the city of Manila
1908
 Legal medicine was thought in all medical schools in the Philippines
1919
  Established department of legal medicine and ethics of the University of the Philippines under
Dr. Sixto Delos Angeles as the chief.
1945
 Criminal investigation laboratory division was created with DR. Mariano lara as chief medico-
legal officer.
Let’s be creative!
Direction: Create a timeline about the development of Legal Medicine. The timeline should be in a
creative way.
Rubrics:
Understanding of content - 15 points
Creativity - 10 points
Craftsmanship - 5 points
30 points

Well done! You have successfully completed the activities and tasked for lesson 1 of Module
2. You are now ready to move to lesson 2.
Enjoy and keep learning! 