[A brief statistical survey on medico-legal activities during the period of two decades four years].

Records maintained indicate that Department of Legal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine has handled 1,275 cases in total including 1,157 judicial autopsies and 118 cases other than those during the period of 24 years and 3 months (Jan 1963-Mar 1987). (1) Judicial autopsy cases Infanticide: 86 cases (7.4%, 40 male, 44 female and 2 sex unidentified cases), and a total number of autopsies carried out on other than infanticide were 1,071 cases (92.6%, 743 male and 328 female cases). The 1,071 cases were further brokendown into 496 homicidal, 278 traffic accidental, 169 except-traffic accidental and casualties, 74 natural death, 44 suicidal, 9 accidental poisoning death groups, and 1 unidentified case. The cases and means of homicidal cases were classified by cutlery and pointed weapons: 243 cases, strangulation and throttling: 104 cases, blunt or similar ones: 96 cases, fire arms (pistol or hunting gun): 35 cases, poisoning: 8 cases, murder by fire: 4 cases, and 6 other cases. (2) Investigations with exception of judicial autopsy cases. Determination by 46 substance (blood-stains, murderous weapons and others): 38 cases by parentage, 21 cases by documents (clinical anamnesis, clinical diary and testimony records), and other 13 cases. (3) Some remarks to be taken account in performance of investigations for adequate determination.