ESTABLISHING A LABORATORY IN A PG CENTRE (FORENSIC

MEDICINE AND TOXICOLOGY)

Dr. Anupam DattaPostgraduate

Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology

JJM Medical College, Davangere

Venue: Seminar Hall

Forensic or legal Medicine deals with the application of medical and paramedical knowledge to aid in administration of justice. Application of this paramedical knowledge constitutes all laboratory procedures and their practical application in Forensic Medicine.

No definite guidelines from Medical Council of India regarding the establishment of laboratory in a Post Graduate Centre of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology.

For Undergraduates minimum laboratory space is 100 UG intake 150 sq. mt. area, for 150 UG intake 200 sq. mt. area and for 250 UG intake 275 sq. mt. area.

For the excellence and State-of-Art Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Department point of view, every Forensic Medicine and Toxicology laboratory in post graduate centre should have the following minimum standards.

FORENSIC LABORATOTY IN A MEDICAL COLLEGE

Forensic Histopathology Unit Forensic Serology Unit Forensic Anthropology Unit Forensic Toxicology Unit Forensic Expert Opinion Unit

A) Examinations of Specimen:

Adequate space for examination of specimens provided for giving expert opinions.

Gloves, Hand lens, SLR Camera, Metallic pointer, Cotton cloth, Metallic wax seal, Thread, Candle, Match box.

1. Skeletal remains examination- Osteometric board, Vernier caliper, Folding metal scale to measure upto 7 ft, Anthropometric tapes, Anthropometric rods, Steel tape roll, Superimposition technique.

2. Examination of weapons- Measuring tape, Weighing machine, Gloves, Scissors, Slides, Swab, Gauze, Saline.

3. Examination of Ligature material- Measuring tape.

4. Examination of wet specimen.

B) Forensic Histopathology:

Microscopes (Students type) and Binocular microscope (Research purpose) can serve the purpose.

Histotechniques a) Fixation b) Tissue processing - Dehydration - Cleaning - Impregnation c) Blocking d) Section cutting e) Staining f) Mounting

Instruments and equipments for Forensic Histopathology Unit:

Automatic tissue processor- used for fixation, dehydration, clearing and infiltration of tissues.

Microtome with knife- used to cut extremely thin slices of material.

Hot plates- used for heating samples and are used as an alternative to a Bunsen burner when an open flame would be dangerous.

L. mould- used to make blocks of tissue for cutting into thin slices for microscopy.

Leather stropes - for polishing an already fairly sharp edge.

Slide warming table- for heating slides to a uniform constant temperature below the melting point of wax and helps in mounting of section.

Paraffin embedding bath- for tissue dehydration

Stone Carbarandon Distillation plant Water bath (Tissue flowing) Staining chemicals Deep freezer for tissue keeping

C) Forensic Serology Forensic serology means the study

and examination of body fluids to aid in administration of justice.

Human or animal blood- look for nucleated and non-nucleated RBCs

Precipitin test Haemin crystal test Blood grouping and Rh typing

Semen analysis- microscopic examination- sperm count, motility of sperm, morphology of sperm and chemical examination of sperm

Pregnancy tests- latex agglutination inhibition test and ELISA test

Urine test – microscopic for presence of epithelial cells, casts, RBCs , WBCs.

Instruments and chemicals for Forensic Serology

Digital spectrometer- measures the amount of light of a specified wavelength which passes through a medium. To detect presence of blood in both recent and old stains.

Digital pH meter- measuring the pH

Spectroscope lens with adjustable slit- blood and other body fluids can be tested for the presence of toxins using a spectroscope.

Centrifuge machine- used for the separation of body fluids or liquid, based on density.

Incubator- to keep body fluids at favourable temperature.

Glass slide and cover slip

Antisera A, B, AB and anti D- for blood grouping and Rh typing.

Porcelian tile- to mix small amount of chemicals with body fluids.

Sodium chloride, conc. Glacial acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide- Haemin crystal test

Hydrochloric acid, 3% acetic acid, methyl or ethyl alcohol, methylene blue- microscopic examination of semen

Potassium tri-iodide for Florence test Picric acid for Barberio’s test Anti HCG serum and latex particle

coated with HCG for latex agglutination inhibition test

Heamatology tests: Abnormal haemoglobin can be

detected by paper electrophoresis by means of alkali resistance or by ultraviolet absorption curve which can differentiate between haemoglobin A1, A2 and foetal haemoglobin which can not only differentiates between adult and children less than 2 years but also decides paternity, maternity and identification of an individual.

D) Forensic Anthropology Instruments and equipments for

Forensic anthropology Osteometric board- measuring the

length and breadth of long bone.

Vernier caliper- used to measure internal and external distances extremely accurately.

Folding metal scale to measure upto 7 ft- measurement of length.

Anthropometric tapes- body parts measurement

Anthropometric rods- upto 2 metres long, with two counter-reading scales, with which vertical body dimensions, such as heights of landmarks from floor or seat, and transverse dimensions, such as diameters, can be taken.

Steel tape roll- uses in labelling

Skinfold Caliper- used in the measurement of skinfold thickness and the estimation of total body fat.

Sliding Torso Caliper- to take measurements of the chest, shoulders, back, and head.

Small Bone Calipers- for measuring small bones, such as those in the elbows, knees, wrists, or ankles.

Tape Caliper- to measure the circumference of arm, forearm, thigh.

Pliers for the extraction of teeth for DNA analysis

Mandibulometer - to take different measurements from mandible bone

SLR Camera- to capture high resolution photos for future reference

Hand lens

Forensic Toxicology Instruments and equipments

for Forensic Toxicology Calibrated laboratory balances-

used to measure small amount accurately with high sensitivity.

Bench top centrifuge- for separating blood samples and solvent extracts.

Vortex mixer- device used commonly in laboratories to mix small vials of liquid

Water bath and heating block Butane gas burner- for heating

the reagents

Refrigerator & freezer- for storing standards/samples/tissues

pH meter Automatic/semi-automatic

pipettes- permits rapid, repetitive, accurate measurement and delivery of predefined volume of any fluid.

Low power polarizing microscope- for illumination of the sample with polarized light like examination of trace evidences like fibres, bullet residues.

Thin layer Chromatography plates- therapeutic drugs, drugs of abuse, pesticides and naturally occurring alkaloids, which are all relatively small molecular weight organic compounds with functional groups amenable to visualization by colour reaction.

UV Spectrophotometer- used for drug screening in body fluids

UV lamp- for safety assessment of food

Modified Gutzeit apparatus- to detect urinary arsenic concentrations.

Bed side Qualitative Laboratory tests

P-Nitrophenol Test: for detection of Organophosphorus compounds.

Dichromate Test: for detection of ethanol.

Ferric chloride Test: for detection of phenol, phenothiazines, phenylbutazones or salicylates.

Lee Jones Test: for detection of cyanide and salicylates.

Trident Test: for detection of salicylates.

FPN Test: for detection of phenothiazines and tricyclics.

O-cresol Test: for detection of paracetamol.

Marquis Test: for detection of opium.

Reinsch Test: for detection of heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, bismuth, antimony.

Meixner Test: for detection of amatoxin (mushroom).

Forrest Test: for detection of imipramine.

Fujiwara Test: for detection of chloral hydrate, chloroform.

Tensilon Test: to differentiate between myasthenia gravis and botulism.

Melzer’s Test: to confirm whether a given mushroom is toxic or not (especially Amanita Phalloides).

Manpower Staff In Charge Laboratory technician- with

experience of Histopathology, Serology and Toxicology

Biomedical engineer Clerk Sweeper

Water supply:Well refined and pure water supply facility for 24 hours in mandatory. Proper Ventilation and

adequate Lighting. Preferably Air Conditioned.

Biomedical waste management:

Proper biomedical waste management facility should be available in laboratory to dispose the potentially hazardous/hazardous and highly hazardous materials.

References 1. Reddy KSN. Text book of Forensic Medicine and

Toxicology, 32th ed, K Sugana Devi, Hydrabad. 2. Pillay VV. Comprehensive Medical Toxicology, 2nd

edition. Paras publication, Hydrabad. 3. Aggarwal A. Text book of Forensic Medicine and

Toxicology, APC Publication, 1st ed. New Delhi. 4. Rao NG, Practical Forensic Medicine, Jaypee Brothers,

New Delhi, 3rd ed. 5. Mukherjee JB. Practical Forensic Medicine, Academic

Publishers, Kolkata. 6. Medical Council of India. Minimum Requirement for

100/150/250 Undergraduate admissions in a Medical College.

7. Various Internet Google Searches.

THANK YOU