Sarvesvaran R, Knight B H
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya.
Malays J Pathol. 1994 Dec;16(2):117-26.
The finding of skeletal remains is a common happening and the forensic pathologist is frequently called upon to examine the remains. It is theoretically much better for the pathologist to examine the bones at the site before they are disturbed, but this rarely happens, the bones being recovered by the public, workmen or police and brought in a jumbled condition to the pathologist. Using a systematic process of elimination such as that suggested in this paper, the maximum information can be obtained. Even so, it is common for the bones never to be identified and even the length of time the person has been dead remains unknown, due to lack of corroborative information. However, only by repeated and careful examination of a number of skeletal remains, can the pathologist hope to gain any experience. Probably the most important thing to bear in mind is the danger of being too dogmatic, especially about the date of the remains and not to mislead the investigating authorities by over-optimistic opinions.
发现尸骨是常有的事，法医病理学家经常被要求检查这些遗骸。理论上，病理学家在尸骨未被扰动之前在现场进行检查会好得多，但这种情况很少发生，尸骨通常由公众、工人或警察找到，然后杂乱地送到病理学家那里。通过使用本文所建议的系统排除法，可以获得最大量的信息。即便如此，由于缺乏确证信息，尸骨往往无法被辨认出来，甚至死者死亡的时间长短也不得而知。然而，只有通过反复仔细检查多具尸骨，病理学家才有希望获得任何经验。或许最重要的是要记住不要过于教条，尤其是在尸骨年代方面，不要因过于乐观的观点误导调查当局。
