A Study of Pattern of Burn Injury Cases

Fire was perhaps, first double edged sword, it has served as well as destroys mankind. Invention of Fire was greatest invention towards the human civilization. Burn is an injury which is produced by the application of dry heat such as flames, radiant heat or heated substance over the body service. The term burn is restricted to the local effects of dry heat. By law all dry heat lesions have been designated as burns. Burn injuries are among the most devastating of all injuries and a major global public health crisis. Burns are the fourth most common type of trauma worldwide, following traffic accidents, falls and interpersonal violence. Burns have tremendous medico-legal importance as they may be considered to be the commonest cause of unnatural death in India.

This present study is a retrospective study undertaken at the mortuary of Forensic Medicine, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. The study includes all the burn injury cases coming to the mortuary for autopsy during the year 2011. The main objective is to gather epidemiological information, to find the pattern and causes of death in different burn cases.