PERSONAL
IDENTITY
MEDICO-LEGAL
IMPORTANCE
OF
AGE
1. INTRA-UTERINE LIFE:-
4-8 WEEKS------------ORGANOGENESIS
26 WEEKS-------------VIABILITY
40 WEEKS-------------FULL TERM BIRTH
These periods are of importance because in
cases of Istaqat-e-Hamal & Istaqat-e-jinin
we have to identify the period & accordingly
punishment is given
2. EXTRA-UTERINE LIFE:-
UP TO 2 YEARS-------INFANCY
UP TO 5 YEARS-------SCHOOL AGE
16-18 YEARS---------MARRIAGE/CONSENTING AGE
ATTAINMENT OF MATURITY/
VOTE CASTING
21 YEARS-------------PROPERTY INHERITANCE
25 YEARS-------------CONTEST LEGISLATIVE ELECTION
45 YEARS-------------CONTEST ELECTION OF PRESEDENT
OF PAKISTAN
60 YEARS-------------RETIREMENT
AGE
ESTIMATION
AGE ESTIMATION
For age estimation we have to study the
following:-
General appearance
Bones
teeth
INTRA-UTERINE LIFE
PRE-EMBRYONIC STAGE-----1-3 WEEKS
EMBRYONIC STAGE-----------4-8 WEEKS
FOETAL STAGE----------------9 WEEKS-10 LUNAR
MONTHS
Age is calculated by:
General appearance
Length of foetus
Weight of foetus
Appearance of ossification centres
Stage of developing teeth
GENERAL APPEARANCE IN PRE-
EMBRYONIC STAGE
Placental development
CR length of embryo: less than 1 cm at 3
weeks
Weight-about 2 grams at 3 weeks
1. POST-EMBRYONIC STAGE:
• Placental development
• CR length—1-4 cm
• Weight------10-15 gms at 4-8 weeks
• Appearance of pharyngeal arches
• Appearance of limb buds 6-8 weeks
• Appearance of ossification centres for clavicle,
skull bones, long bones, mandible
• Ribs & vertebrae
2. FIVE MONTHS:
Lanugo hair on scalp
Eyebrows become visible
Testicles start descending
3. SEVEN MONTHS:
Nails up to finger tips
Eyelids open & separated
Pupilary membrane disappears
Testicles descended up to inguinal ring
4. FULL TERM:
Lanugo hair absent
Nails grown beyond finger tips
Testicles descended in to scrotum
LENGTH
OF
FOETUS
Rule of Hasse (1895):
According to this rule the age of foetus is
calculated by the square root of crown heel
length in centimeter.
For example if the crown heel length is 16
cm, the age of the foetus is about 4 weeks intra
uterine life.
Rule of Morrison (1964):
This rule states that the crown heel length of
the foetus in centimeters, divided by five gives
the age in month.
For example if the length is 40 cm, the age is
8 months. It is applicable after 5 months of intra
uterine life.
LENGTH OF THE FOETUS
To determine length of foetus we apply
rule called “RULE OF HESSE’S”. Crown
heel length is best criteria for determining
length of foetus UP TO 5 MONTHS of
gestation length presents the square of
age in months such as :
LENGTH AGE
9 CM 3 MONTHS
16 CM 4 MONTHS
25 CM 5 MONTHS
LENGTH OF THE FOETUS
AFTER 5 MONTHS AGE:
it is estimated by measuring the length of
foetus in cms. and dividing it by 5 (Rule of
Morrison). This gives age in months such
as length of foetus is 35 cms. Then age of
foetus is 35/5=7 months.
WEIGHT OF FOETUS
20TH WEEK-----------------400 GMS
28TH WEEK-----------------1100-1300 GMS
40TH WEEK-----------------2700-3500 GMS
CENTRES FOR OSSIFICATION
The center of ossification can be detected by dissecting
the bone itself. The order of appearance of primary
centres of ossification are as follows:
SKULL BONES & CLAVICLE—---------------- 5-6 WEEKS
CALCANEUM ISCHIUM & PUBIC BONES-- 5 MONTHS
LONG BONES-------------------------------------- 7-8 WEEKS
TALUS------------------------------------------------ 7 MONTHS
LOWER END OF FEMUR, CUBOID---------- 9 MONTHS
Ossification of bones
Examination of bone helps us in the estimation of age of
a person,
Human skeleton develops from separate ossification
centers
Long bones are more helpful in determining age
Typical long bones have three centers or principal foci
for growth.
Diaphysis : mid portion of shaft
Epiphysis : lower or distal end
Diaphysio-epiphyseal Zone: b/w epiphysis and diaphysis
On X-Ray by observing these areas exact
age of an individual can be determined.
As a rule the main areas focused on x-ray are
Wrist in children
Elbow and knee in adult
Skull, vertebrae and sternum in old people
In long bones specially in limbs
appearances of the secondary centers of
ossification, and finally union of epiphysis
with the diaphysis is the index up to
25years of age.
This union takes place earlier in females by
two years than in males, except in case of
suture of skull, where the suture obliterate
slowly and little later in females than in
males.
KROGMAN
Has divided skeletal developmental
changes for the estimation of age into
seven periods:
PERIOD 1
From birth to 5th year
age determination depends on centre of
ossification that appears after birth
1 year - head of femur, humerus, tibia
2 years - lower tibia, radius
3 years - patella
4 years - upper fibula, greater
trochanter of femur
5 years - lower fibula
PERIOD 2
From 5-12 year
age estimation depends on growth of above centres of
ossification and appearance of additional secondary
centres
size of center indicates age
6 years - head of radius, lower ulna
7 years - scaphoid, rami of ischium and pubis unites
8 years - medial epicondyle of humerus, olecranon
10 years - lesser trochanter of femur
11 years - trochlea of humerus
12 years - acetabular y-cartilage
10-12 years - pisiform
PERIOD 3
From 12-20 year
age estimation depends on union of epiphyses with
their shafts in most of the long bones
13 years - lateral epicondyle of humerus appears &
unites with trochlea and capitulum
14 years - coracoid united to scapula
16 years - olecranon united to ulna
18 years - head of femur and radius fuse with shafts
20 years
lower radius, ulna and femur to shafts
iliac crest to body
PERIOD 4
From 20-25 years
nearly all the epiphysis in the body have
united except the centre in the medial
end of clavicle
21 years - appearance of centre at
inner end of clavicle
22-24 years
fusion of secondary epiphysis of inner end
of clavicle
articular facets of ribs
PERIOD 5
From 25-36 years
skull sutures begin to close
extent of closure of sutures is helpful
union starts from inner aspect
30-35 years - sagital suture
PERIOD 6
From 36-50 years
further progress in closure of sutures
35-40 years - coronoid suture
45-50 years - lambdoid suture
Early degenerative changes occur in articular
surfaces of the long bones in the joints
lipping of ends/bones
loss of joint space
punched out areas of osteoporosis
40 years - xiphisternum unites with body
PERIOD 7
From 50 year onward
further proceeding in closure of sutures and
joint change
calcification of laryngeal and costal cartilages
prominent feature is pathological changes in
the skeleton
55-60 years - parietomastoid and squamous
sutures
70 years - sphenoparietal suture
40-60 years - greater cornu of the hyoid bone
unites with body
Age changes in mandible:
Feature Infant Adult Old age
Ramus Short, oblique Large, vertical Size
and forms and forms right comparatively
obtuse angle angle with the reduced and
with body body. forms an
obtuse angle
with the body.
Mental Near lower Middle of upper Close to upper
foramina margin and lower border
border
Condyle Nearly in line Enlarged and Relation ship is
with the body, projecting erratic
not rojecting above the
above the coronoid
coronoid process
process
Height and weight data:-
Height data:-
During intra uterine life the length of fetus gives indication about
the age.
A full term fetus is 45 to 50 cm in length
60 cm at the end of 6 months,
68cm at the end of one year,
double the length at birth at the end of 4th year.
Weight data:-
Average weight at birth is 2.5 to 3 kg
Avg increase in wt is 0.5 per month for 1st year,
doubles the wt at birth at 6th month and
three times the birth weight at the end of 1st year.
Due to individual variation growth charts have little medicolegal
value
Miscellaneous
birth record
changes occurring at puberty
changes due to old age
Birth Record
Birth and death register is maintained by
municipality
Reporting and registration of birth and death is
made compulsory by law.
It can be used as a reliable indicator for
determining age, if the name of an individual has
been entered
This also provide legal proof for identity, age,
nationality, parentage and civil status f an
individual.
Changes occur at puberty
Pubic hair Ϙ13 years, σ 14years
Axillary hair Ϙ14 years, σ 15 years
Hair on face σ 16-18 years
Breasts appear in Ϙs at 13-14 years of
age and menstruation generally starts
voice in σ becomes deeper at 16-18 years
Changes due to old age:
Retrogressive changes like wrinkle on
face appear at 40 years of age
Arcus senilis
Cataract
Graying of hair
Note pubic and axillary hair never turn
grey before 50 years of age.
THE
END
