The following is a summary of results in 36 cases of inspection and 2,195 cases of unnatural death accumulated through the medico-legal autopsy up to the year of 1968. The deaths due to violence administered to the head was very common and for the natural sudden death due to diseases of the circulatory system shows the largest number. 1. The numbers of autopsies done for unantural death were 2,159 cases of which 1,377 cases were male and 782 cases female. 2. The numbers of inspection were 36 cases. 3. Injuries leading to the cause of the death were the largest number being 736 cases or 34.1 percents and death due to the starvation was the smallest number being 2 cases or 0.1 percent. 4. Asphyxial deaths were 209 cases or 9.7 percent of the total and drownings were 75 cases, being the largest number among the death. 5. For the deaths due to injury skull fractures and brain injuries were the leading causes. 6. Death from freezing and electrocution were the only examples of death due to cold, burning and electricity. 7. There were 2cases of starvation. 8. Infanticides were 30 cases or 1.4 percents of the total number. 9. Deaths due to the poison were 382 cases of which 11.7 per cents were from drug ingestion, barbiturate being most common. 10. For the sudden natural death 588 cases or 27.2 percents of the total recorded and the diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 145 of the cases. 11. Cause of death, unknown, due to the severe decomposition of the body were 203 cases or 9.4 percents of the total number.
Asphyxia ; Autopsy* ; Brain Injuries ; Death, Sudden ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Human ; Infanticide ; Korea ; Male ; Poisoning ; Starvation ; Statistics* ; Wounds and Injuries

This is a statistical analysis based on the data of medicolegal autopsies so called unusual death, brought to this institute by all of law enforcement agencies in Korea during the year of 1997. This report aims to reveal the facts on various causes of unusual death in Korea. Followings are the summary of results, 1. The total numbers of autopsy made for the unusual deaths were 2,128 cases, among them 1,497 cases were males and 631 cases were females. 2. Violent deaths were 1,321 cases (62.1%), natural deaths were 705 cases (33.1%), and unknown cases were 102(4.85). 3. For deaths due to injuries, blunt object Injuries were the leading ahead, 472 cases(22.2%) and sharp object injuries were 198 cases(9.3%). 4. Asphyxial deaths were 287 cases(13.5%), and drowning were 108 cases(5.1%) showing the biggest number among the asphyxial deaths. 5. Deaths by fire or burning were 114 cases(5.4%), and deaths by scalding were 8 cases. Deaths due to hypothermia were 24 cases(1.1%). 6. Deaths due to electrocution were 19 cases and 18 cases were male. 7. There were 3 cases for death due to starvation. 8. Infanticide were 17 cases, 0.8 percent of the total number. 9. The natural deaths were 705 cases(33.1%) and the death due to the disease of the cardiovascular system was taking the most of the total number with 374 cases. 10. For the death due to intoxication, 132 cases (6.2%) were recorded and the biggest number among these was CO intoxication. 11. Cause of death unknown due to negative autopsy and to the severe decomposition of the body were 102 cases, 4.8 percents of the total number.
Autopsy* ; Burns ; Cardiovascular System ; Cause of Death ; Drowning ; Female ; Fires ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Infanticide ; Korea ; Law Enforcement ; Male ; Starvation ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and summarize the characteristics of the death cases of the abandoned babies in Shanghai, and to explore the main points and features in forensic investigation. METHODS: Twenty-seven death cases of the abandoned babies were selected from 2007 to 2011 in the Institute of Forensic Science of Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The cases were retrospectively analyzed in the respects of scene of abandonment, cause of death and manner of death, etc. RESULTS: Among the death cases of the abandoned babies in Shanghai, most of the infants were alive with young unmarried mothers. The main cause of death was mechanical asphyxia, and homicide occurred more commonly. CONCLUSION It is significantly difficult to determine the cause and manner of death in such cases, needing to be a comprehensive analysis on the case background, the investigation of scene and the examination of injury, etc.
Asphyxia/etiology* ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Child, Abandoned/statistics & numerical data* ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infanticide ; Male ; Retrospective Studies