IDENTIFICATION

-
1
Definition:
It is defined as fixation of individuality of a
person based on certain physical
characteristics.
Types:
1. Complete / Total identification: It means
absolute individuality of a person , that is exact
specification.
2. Incomplete / Partial identification: It means
to ascertain some facts. E.g.name , age , sex ,
religion etc.
 Another type of identification is legal
identification which means identification
for the legal purpose.
E.g.
• Identification of a rape victim by
escorting police constable before the
examination procedure.
• Identification of a dead body in the
morgue by identifying police constable
before autopsy.
 DATA / TRAITS OF IDENTIFICATION
1. Name , age , sex , race , religion , nationality.
2. Stature , general development , body built.
3. Anthropometric measurement ( height , weight
etc. ).
4. Complexion.
5. Congenital & acquired deformities &
malformation.
Congenital: poly dactyle , syndactyle , birth mark ,
mole etc.
Acquired: tattoo mark , scar mark , occupational
mark etc.
6. Photograph ( it is the simplest method of
identification ).
7. Finger print / dactylography , sole print , palm
print , lip print etc.
8. DNA profiling.
9. Features of hair , eyes and teeth.
10. Super imposition technique.
11. Passport , ID card , pocket contents , dress ,
ornaments , cosmetics etc.
12.Incase of living only:
Voice , gait , manner , tricks , intelligence ,
educational status.
Medico-legal importance of Identification

A. Incase of living:-
I) Civil cases:
 Inheritance claim .
 Insurance claim.
 Marriage.
 Missing person.
 passport.
ii) Criminal cases:
 Assault.
 Rape.
 Kidnapping.
 Murder.
 Inter change of new born babies in hospitals.
B. Incase of death:-
 Death due to fire , accidents , explosion etc.
 Dead body found in roads , fields , water , rail
way compartments etc.
 Skeleton , bones.
 RACE
Definition:
It is defined as biological concept
denoting different human species
united by common heredity.
Types:
1. Caucasian.
2. Mongolian.
3. Negroid / Negroes.
 Data / Traits of Race
1. Cloth.
2. Complexion.
3. Hair.
4. Eyes ( iris ).
5. Lips.
Cephalic Index ( C. I ):
It is a number obtained by multiply of maximum
breadth of skull with hundred and then the
product will be divided by maximum length of
skull.
 Maximum breadth of skull
CI = X 100
Maximum length of skull

Maximum length of skull = Maximum anterior-

posterior diameter calculated from external
protuberance to nasion.
Maximum breadth of skull = maximum transverse
diameter between the highest point of two
parietal eminence.
Cephalic index is measured by slide calipers.
Types of Skull with their C.I:

1. Dolico cephalic: CI  70-75 ( long

head).
2. Meso / Mesati cephalic: CI  75-80
( medium head ).
3. Brachy cephalic: CI  80-85 ( small
head ).
 Difference between three races
Traits Caucasian Mongolian Negroes

1. Skin Fair & white Yellow brown Black

2. Hair Light brown or Black , straight or Black , curly or wooly

reddish wavy

3. Skull Meso cephalic Brachy cephalic Dolico cephalic

( rounded ) ( square ) (narrow & elongated)

4. Fore head Raised Inclined Small & compressed

5. Orbit Triangular Higher & rounded Lower & compressed

6. Eyes ( iris ) Grey & blue Black Black

7. Nasal aperture Round Narrow Broad & wider

8. Face Proportionately small Large , malar bones Broad & lower jaw
prominent projected

9. Teeth Poorly spaced Evenly spaced Aligned ( teeth sets

obliquely )
10. Limbs Normal Small Proportionately long
 Religion
Difference between Hindu & Muslim Males
Traits Hindu Males Muslim Males
1. Circumcision Are not normally Are normally
circumcised circumcised
2. Religious paint mark on Present Absent
forehead
3. Corns & callosities on Absent Present
lateral aspect of right knee &
right ankle due to praying
position

4. Sacred thread Present Absent

5. Necklace of wooden beads Present Absent
6. Dress They usually wear They usually
dhoti wear lungi
 Difference between Hindu & Muslim Females
Traits Hindu Females Muslim Females
1. Dress They usually They wear usually
wear sharee trousers & kamiz
2. Vermillion mark on their Present Absent
head After marriage
3. Shakha as their wrist Present Absent
band after marriage
4. Nose ring On the ala of the On the nasal septum
nose
5. Openings on the helix of Fewer openings Several openings
ear for ear rings

N.B. Muslims shave their pubic & axillary hair on 40 days interval
due to religious purpose
 SEX
Definition:
These are the characteristics which differentiate
male from female.
Types:
 Male
 Female
 Intersex
 Another condition regarding sex is concealed sex
in which criminals try to conceal their sex to avoid
detection. They can be detected by simple
physical examination.
 Medico legal importance of Sex
i. Civil cases:
 Marriage
 Divorce
 Inheritance of property
 Admission into schools & colleges
 Impotence & sterility
 Paternity & maternity.
ii. Criminal cases:
 Rape
 Murder
 Kidnapping.
 Determination of sex of a person
A. Physical morphology:-
1) Indirect / presumptive evidence:
a. Dress
b. Hair
c. Beard
d. Mustache
2) Highly probable evidence:
e. Presence of penis & scrotum in male
f. Presence of developed breast & vagina in
female
3) Strong evidence:
a. Presence of testis , seminal vesicle & prostate in
male.
b. Presence of uterus , ovary & fallopian tube in
female.
B. Histological examination:-
1) Microscopic study of sex chromatin:
• Male – XY
• Female – XX
2) Barr body & Davidson body present in female.
C. Gonadal Biopsy:-
1) Presence or absence of semen in
testis.
2) Periodic discharge of ovum from
the ovaries occurs or not.
D. Hormonal study:-
3) Testosterone , androgen in male.
4) Estrogen , progesterone in female.
E. In dead bodies:-
1) Incase of fresh dead bodies:
• Physical examination
• Microscopic study of sex chromosome.
2) Incase of decomposed bodies:
• Incase of male prostate & female non
gravid uterus.
• Biopsy for testicular or ovarian tissues.
• Study of bones.
3) Incase of mutilated bodies:
• Searching for sexual organs.
• Physical examination – Shoulder , hip , buttock ,
thighs, distribution of subcutaneous fat , muscular
predominance , toughness & delicacy of skin ,
distribution of body , axillary & pubic hair.
• Examination of bones.
4) Incase of skeletal remains:
• Study of bones.
 Mutilated body: The body which is disfigured &
deprived of any member or limb.
Barr body:
It is a pleno convex mass attached to the inner
surface of the nuclear membrane of each somatic
cell of female. One of the two sex chromosome
genetically inactive in female. Barr body indicate
that inactivated sex chromosome.
Davidson body:
WBC shows in their feminine trait a thin stalked
drum like projection in the polymorph nucleus
which is known as Davidson body. Presence in 6%
of female.
M/I: Presence of Barr body & Davidson body
indicates female sex.
 Difference between male & female
Traits Male Female
1. Adam’s apple More prominent Less prominent
2. Shoulder Broader than hip Narrower than the
hip
3. Breast Not developed Well developed
( rudimentary )
4. Gluteal region Flat Full & rounded
5. Penis Present Absent
6. Testis Present Absent
7. Prostate Present Absent
8. Vagina Absent Present
9. Uterus Absent present
 Inter Sex
Definition: It is a condition where male &
female characteristics co-exist in a same
individual.
Types:
1. Gonadal agenesis.
2. Gonadal dysgenesis.
3. True harmaphroiditism.
4. Pseudo harmaphroiditism.
1. Gonadal agenesis:
In this type sexual organ , that is testes and ovaries
have never developed. These can be determined in
very early foetal life ( within 4 months)by
sonographic examination. Neuclear sexing
indicates they are chromatin negative.
2.Gonadal dysgenesis:
In this type , external sexual structures are
present. But sexual organs failed to developed at
puberty.
Examples:
a) Klinefelter’s syndrome in male.
b) Turner’s syndrome in female.
Klinefelter’s Syndrome:
In these boys grow normally initially , but puberty is
delayed.
Characteristics/features of Klinefelter’s Syndrome:
 Testis – small , firm in consistency.
 Gynaecomastia.
 Signs of eunachoidism –
long arms & legs
Scanty pubic & axillary hair
No or poor beard growth etc.
 Neuclear sexing indicates they are chromatin positive
like a female. Sex chromosome pattern is
47 XXY. They are sterile & can not procreate.
Turner’s Syndrome:
There are three principle features of turner’s syndrome:
A. Short stature.
B. Congenital abnormalities –
webbing of neck
coarctation of aorta
cubitas-valgus
red green colour blindness
renal abnormalities
infantile osteoporosis
C. Signs of infantilism –
Less developed breast
Widely spread nipple
Hypo plastic areola
Scanty pubic & axillary hair
Infantile external genitalia ,
uterus , fallopian tubes ,
streak ovaries which is devoid
of ovarian follicle but fibrous tissue
is present.
 Neuclear sexing indicates they are
chromatin negative like a male. Sex
chromosomal pattern is 45 XO. They are
sterile & can not bear a child.
True harmaphroiditism:
It is very rare condition of bi-sexuality. In
this , one testis or one ovary or two ovo
testis are present. External genitalia of
both sexes are present but not well
developed.
4.Pseudo harmaphroiditism:
a) Male pseudo harmaphroiditism:
Neuclear sexing indicates sex
chromosomal pattern is XY. But sexual
organs & sexual characteristics deviate to
female , because of testicular feminization.
b) Female pseudo harmaphroiditism:
Neuclear sexing indicates sex chromosomal
pattern is XX . But sexual organs & sexual
characteristics deviate to male due to
adrenal hyperplasia.