Background:In order to diagnose child abuse, physicians need to consider the possibility of abuse in every child they encounter, have sufficient information about the topic and manage the cases according to current law.Aims:To determine the knowledge level of physicians on child abuse and to learn their opinions about the procedures when they suspect child abuse.Study Design:A questionnaire (cross-sectional) study.Methods:A detailed questionnaire was applied to 390 physicians of whom 233 were general practitioners. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic variables (age, gender, occupational experience) and the frequency of child physical abuse cases encountered, since that is the most easily diagnosed and proven form of abuse. The second part consisted of 32 questions about diagnosis of physical child abuse and procedures during the follow-up of the cases. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 18.0.Results:Of the participating physicians, 47.4% (n=185) were female and only 13.1% of the physicians had some kind of postgraduate training on child abuse. The correct response rate of specialists compared to general practitioners was significantly higher. A total of 263 (72.3%) physicians thought that there was a specific law on physical child abuse in the Turkish Republic. More than two-thirds of physicians thought that reporting should only be addressed to Social Services and physicians should not be obliged to report to law enforcement.Conclusion:The results of the present study adds to the already known necessity for better training of physicians about physical child abuse and the need to refresh their knowledge through postgraduate courses. According to current regulations, it is obligatory to report abuse cases to the public prosecutor and/or police, therefore physicians also need training in respect of the legal status and medico-legal approach to these cases.

K a ra g ö z YM, K a ra g ö z SD, A tılgan M, D em ircan C. Ateşli Silah Y aralan m asın a B ağlı 133 Ölüm Olgusunun İn celen m esi, Acili Tıp B ülteni 1996; 1(3.). 1 2 2 -6 ÖZETYedi yıllık bir süre içerisinde Antalya'da ateşli silahla ya ralanma sonucu meydana gelen ve otopsisi yapılan 133 ölüm olgusunun raporları incelenerek: yaş, cinsiyet, orijin, atış mesafesi, silah cinsi, giriş-çıkış deliği sayısı ve özellikle ri, iç organ hasarları açısından değerlendirildi. Olguların %78.95'i erkek, %21.05'i kadındı. Ölümlere en sık 21-30 yaş grubunda rastlanıyordu (%30.08). Cinayet ori jini %66.92'lik oranla ilk sıradaydı. Uzak mesafeden yapılan atışlarla meydana gelen ölümler olguların yarısına yakınını oluşturuyordu (%46.62). Ölüme sebebiyet veren silah, olgu ların %55.64'iinde kısa namlulu ateşli silah olarak değerlen dirildi. Olgu başına düşen ortalama giriş deliği sayısı 1.49 olarak bulundu. İsabet en fazla kafa bölgesineydi ve beyin en fazla hasara uğrayan organdı.Anahtar kelimeler: Ateşli silah yaraları, Otopsi. SUMMARYIn a seven years study, between 1987-1993, 133 medico legal autopsy reports of deaths due to firearm injury were rewieved and classified according to age, sex, origin, w e apon type, range, characteristics and number of entranceextrance wounds and internal tissue damage. 78.95 % of all cases were male and the rest were female. Deaths were mostly in 21-30 of age (30.08 %). Homicide was the most common origin with 66.92 %. Deaths due to firearms injuri es at distant range were nearly half of the cases. % 55.64 of weapons leading to death were handguns. It was found that average entrance wound number per case was 1.49. Gene rally, head region was the most frequently effected area and brain was the most commonly damaged tissue.

Ligature strangulations are usually homicidal. Accidental and suicidal ligature strangulations are quite rare. In this study, an unusual case of suicidal ligature strangulation with a tourniquet method using a walking stick is presented.A 70-year-old-man was found dead in his room, a piece of cloth wrapped around the neck, knotted, and tightened by a walking stick. His hand was still on the walking stick which was seemingly used by him for a tourniquet effect. Autopsy showed bilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle hemorrhage. A thorough death scene investigation, detailed corpse examination, and autopsy are extremely important for determining the manner of death in such ligature strangulation cases.

Diathermy plays an integral part in most operations, either for dissection or coagulation, and it is used on a regular basis by surgeons of all specialties. Even though modern diathermy equipment is considered to be safe, accidents still do happen. These accidents particularly occur if the operation is performed in emergency situations in which the patient's clinical condition is urgently fatal and the members of the team could only focus to the surgical area. The false steps in monopolar diathermy application cause a situation called the diathermy burns. In this report we present the case of a man who had acute chest pain due to rupture of aortic aneurism. While he was being taken into operation, cardiopulmonary arrest developed. He was resuscitated intra operatively and the operation was completed. After this operation burns on the anterior surface of the right hand, elbow and the distal forearm were noticed. We wanted to emphasize that accidental diathermy burns can cause unsightly scarring that limits motion in affected joints or function of other tissues and review the literature to explain possible causes and dealing with this kind of situation in the medicolegal aspects.

In swimming pools, malfunctions in the pool water drainage system can result with severe injuries, or even death, and mostly children are affected by these accidents. In this case report, the death scene and postmortem examination findings of a 12-year-old girl, who was trapped by her feet in the pool water drainage system, are reported. The external examination revealed ecchymotic areas with abrasions on both lower legs and both feet, suggesting suction of both feet through the uncovered pool drainage system opening. To prevent such accidents, safety practices related to the water circulation system should be developed in swimming pools and similar areas; children should be supervised at all times; and emergency medical teams, as well as lifeguards, should be available for immediate intervention.