Courtroom doctors

On this program about forensic medicine, Dr. Guerin, from the Maryland State Medical Examiner's Office, describes the case of a body found in a burned house and shows photographs of forensic evidence to prove this was not a homicide. By comparing a series of skulls, Dr. Guerin explains how to determine the age of the victim by examining the suture lines and the sex by looking at the nasal ridges and angle. The sex can also be determined by the pelvic bones, and the height can be computed by measurement of long bones such as the femur. Thus, knowledge of anthropology, anatomy, and radiology are necessary for forensic scientists. Dr. Freimuth discusses the chemistry of forensic science and performs chemical tests to determine the presence of arsenic in the death of a child. Dr. Lovitt points out that twenty percent of all Maryland state deaths need to be investigated. This often involves autopsies for courtroom evidence. He gives examples of cases, and he diagrams a congenital aneurysm, which led to hemorrhaging and caused sudden death by natural causes. Dr. Fisher discusses that gunshots are the most common method of homicide and shows how bullets and shotgun blasts leave patterns of damage in the body.