EXAMINATION OF INJURED PERSONS (FROM NEW POLICE SURGEON A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE, 1978, BY H S BURGES AND J E HILTON - SEE NCJ-61742)

• NCJ Number: 61749
• Author(s): J H H STEWART; C H STEWART
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 27 pages
• Corporate Author: Hutchinson Benham Ltd
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

CONSIDERATIONS OF THE POLICE SURGEON WHEN EXAMINING INJURED PERSONS ARE DISCUSSED; TOPICS INCLUDE CLINICAL CLASSIFICATION OF INJURIES, CLINICAL EXAMINATION, AND OPINION AND INTERPRETATION.

Abstract

THE POLICE SURGEON FREQUENTLY SEES MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED IN SOME WAY; HE MUST KNOW HOW TO CORRECTLY ASSESS THE INJURED PERSON, HOW TO CATALOG HIS OR HER INJURIES AND INTERPRET THEM, AND HOW TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS IN A REPORT AND IN COURT. THERE ARE TWO CLINICAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF INJURIES, WOUNDS AND BURNS AND SCALDS. WITHIN THE FIRST CLASSIFICATION, WOUNDS INCLUDE BRUISES, ABRASIONS, LACERATIONS, INCISIONS, AND STAB WOUNDS; FRACTURES ARE CONSIDERED UNDER THIS CLASSIFICATION AS WELL. BRUISES ARE CAUSED BY THE APPLICATION OF BLUNT FORCE PRODUCING BLEEDING UNDER THE SKIN. THE POSITION OF BRUISES MAY INDICATE THE MANNER OF ASSAULT. ABRASIONS RESULT WHEN A ROUGH OBJECT HAS DAMAGED THE SUPERFICIAL LAYER OF SKIN; THE CAUSAL AGENT MAY BE INDICATED BY AN ABRASION PATTERN. INCISIONS ARE PRODUCED BY SHARP CUTTING INSTRUMENTS. STAB WOUNDS ARE USUALLY A TYPE OF INCISED WOUND, THE DEPTH BEING GREATER THAN THE WIDTH; THE SUPERFICIAL EXTENT OF THE WOUND GIVES NO INDICATION OF ITS DEPTH NOR OF THE WIDTH OF THE INFLICTING INSTRUMENT. FRACTURES ARE BREAKS IN THE CONTINUITY OF THE SKELETON, AND MAY BE DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE. BURNS ARE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO DEGREE OF SEVERITY, AND RESULT FROM THE APPLICATION OF THE SKIN TO FLAME, RADIANT HEAT, HOT SOLIDS, OR CORROSIVE SUBSTANCES; A SCALD IS CAUSED BY STEAM OR HOT LIQUIDS. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF EXAMINATION APPLY TO EXAMINATION OF INJURED PERSONS; CONSENT, PRESENCE OF A THIRD PARTY AND ACCURATE HISTORY-TAKING ARE IMPORTANT ASPECTS. IN ADDITION, NUMBER AND TYPE OF WOUNDS, SIZE, SHAPE AND DIRECTION OF WOUNDS, CONDITION OF WOUND EDGES, FOREIGN BODIES, AND HEMORRHAGE SHOULD BE CAREFULLY NOTED. EXAMINATION FINDINGS SHOULD BE RECORDED ACCURATELY, AND DIAGRAMS, MEASUREMENTS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS EMPLOYED. CONCLUSIONS SHOULD NOT FORM PART OF THE ORIGINAL NOTES, WHICH SHOULD CONTAIN ONLY FACTS RECORDED UPON EXAMINATION. THE OPINION IS AN ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ORIGINALLY POSED, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL EXAMINATION FINDINGS. SPECIAL PROBLEMS MAY ARISE FOR THE POLICE SURGEON IN DEALING WITH MASS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND ROAD TRAFFIC INJURIES. SKETCHES ARE INCLUDED IN THE CHAPTER. (LWM)