Mortuary Profile for Unnatural Deaths at Forensic Medicine Department of Dhaka Medical College

Abstract

Death is unnatural when caused permaturely against the order of nature by injury, position or other means of violence. Data on unnatural deaths may reflect the law and order situation in a particular area of jurisdiction. This study is concerned with pattern of unnatural deaths in Dhaka Medical College mortuary during 1996. We found 1725 (97%) cases of unnatural deaths by analyzing 1772 cases of deaths. Data gives 18.37% increment in unnatural deaths 77.28% was males and 22.71% females. The frequency pattern of unnatural deaths were 68.92% RTAs, 11.69% homicide, 08.00% suicide and 2.80 natural. Burn, electrocution and others comprise the rest 11.565 unnatural deaths. Males suffer 3.4X more unnatural deaths than females. But RTAs males were 5.31X, in homicide 11.40X, in suicide 1.70X respectively than females. In hanging, female were predominant (1.72X of male deaths). 21-40 years is the age group showing peak frequencies on different types of unnatural deaths though hanging showed peak on 11-20 years. Besides, 95.47% of the unnatural deaths were the Muslims, 4.25% were Hindu and .14% was Christians. Firearms were used in 29.40% cases, blunt weapon in 38.46% cases and sharp cutting weapon in 31.60% cases of homicides respectively.

A one-year retrospective study on the pattern of death found at autopsy at Forensic Pathology Department, Menelik II Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…The male to female ratio of 3:1 in this study is similar to the findings of other authors from other centers 5 . Some other studies have even shown a wider difference between the two genders, like Ghulam et al 6 who found a 85.4% male (85.4%) predominance among the victim of unnatural deaths as compared to 14.6% for females.…”

“…Unnatural deaths may be accidental, suicidal, homicidal or undetermined. The data of unnatural deaths may reflect the law and order situation in a particular area of jurisdiction 2 . If Death is premature, unexpected and resulting from violence causes harassment / depression not only among the relatives of deceased but also have certain impacts all over the society 3 .…”

Pattern of Suicidal Deaths in Cases Coming to Tertiary Center in Eastern Nepal

“…Thus it revealed that males and females both is suicide victim at a younger age. This finding was consistent with the findings of Rahim M et al [7], Sharma BR et al [8], Srivastava AK et al [9], Dash SK [10] and Kafley et al [10]. Similarly Satyavathi et al [12] and Shah [13], in their series found the highest number of fatal suicides in the age group of 20-29 years.…”

“…Due to easy availability of poison materials, poisoning was preferred method for suicide. Rahim et al [7], Sharma et al [8] in their study had however showed that hanging was most common cause of death, which was slightly in disagreement with those of, present study. According to Sharma BR et al [8], females preferred self-immolation (burns) to end their own lives.…”

Comparative trends of accidental to intentional mortalities over a one-year period at a tertiary care centre

“…A low value can be described in favour of peace, harmony and security to human life and property. 4 Accidents have their own natural history and follow the same epidemiological pattern as any other deaths from disease that is the agent, the host and the environment interacting together to produce injury or damage. 5 Types of accidental deaths include road traffic accidents, domestic accidents, industrial and work place accidents, railway accidents, fall from heights etc.…”