1Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
2Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, Pillaiyarkuppam, Pondicherry, India
3Professor & Head, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
*Corresponding author: Dr. Hemanth Kumar R G, Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad-580009, Karnataka, India. E mail: drhemanthkumarrg@yahoo.co.in Mobile: 9620507547
Online published on 2 January, 2017.
Poisoning is one of the global public health problems. Considerable number of cases form part of Emergency department and far many cases succumb to it. This study aims to know the profile of fatal poisoning cases at a tertiary care center in North Karnataka and the related time taken for various steps of medicolegal work before arriving at final opinion. This retrospective study involved fatal poisoning cases autopsied during a two year period (2013–14). The available information was documented in the prestructured proforma and analysed. Males outnumbered the females, majority belonged to age group of 21–30 years, organophosphorus was the most common poison detected and self ingestion was the commonest manner. The average time taken for various steps of medicolegal work are as follows-viscera collection by police from Forensic medicine department: 25 days; deposition of viscera at Forensic science laboratory (FSL): 30 days; reporting from FSL: 33 days; submission of report to Forensic medicine department: 63 days. The result of this study will be useful in taking steps to reduce the various time frames, thus facilitating early finalisation of reports.
Forensic science laboratory, Organophosphorus, Poisoning
