Profile of Cause of Death in Unknown Dead Bodies Autopsied in a Tertiary Care Centre-A One Year Study

The term John Doe(man) or Jane Doe(woman) refers to corpse or hospital patient whose identity is unknown¹. The identification of cadavers is a key concern in forensic investigation, but is equally important for ethical, criminal and civil reasons. All human beings have the right to bury and mourn their loved ones, and without identification of a dead body there are many civil procedures which cannot be completed². At the finish of the post-mortem examination, the police with the aid of forensic experts are supposed to arrive at the identification of the body, so that a post-mortem certificate, in the name of the deceased, may be issued. This death certificate in turn facilitates the funeral arrangements, burial or cremation of the individual, life insurance benefits, disposition of instructions in the decedent's last will and testament, and matters of inheritance.