1Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Pt. B.D. Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, India. E-mail: drmittalpawan@gmail.com
2Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Govt. Medical College (SHKMGMC), Nalhar (Mewat)
Online published on 30 August, 2014.
Assessment of sex is one of the most vital determinations to make when it is necessary to establish identity from skeletal remains. Sternal index, also known as manubrio-corpus index is an important and frequently studied parameter from this point of view. Current study was an attempt to know the reliability of sternal index in the differentiation of sex in the population of Haryana of Northern India. A total of 200 adult sterna (comprising of 100 male and 100 female sterna) from unidentified subjects of confirmed sex were studied and sternal index (length of manubrium divided by length of mesosternum multiplied by 100) was calculated for each of them. The values were subjected to univariate and discriminant function analysis and a comparative analysis was made. The study was further tested for the applicability of Hyrtl's law. Though the values of sternal index were found to be significantly higher in females as compare to males, a thorough statistical analysis found sternal index to be an insignificant parameter in the differentiation of sex in the Haryanvi population of India. Hyrtl's law was also found to be inconclusive with a limited applicability.
Discriminant function analysis, Hyrtl's law, Identification, Limiting point, Sternum
