Forensic Atlas

Welcome!

This "Big Atlas of Forensic Medicine" is one of the most comprehensive of its kind and one of the first to appear online. With currently more than 4,000 pictorial illustrations, it has no peer. A glossary linked to the Atlas explains much more than just ... .technical terms.
The forensic expertise is represented in a condensed form, so that the subjects are suitable for quick reference as well as for basic studies. With its present more than 120 interesting and informative case studies which supplement the individual chapters relating to practice, the Atlas is also a continually changing fund of information pool for interested physicians, police officers and lawyers.
Outdated knowledge will be subject to regular updates.
The Atlas will be never completed. We will constantly strive to expand it with new chapters and meaningful case studies. We are interactive and you are invited to participate.

Autopsy

The classic inquest
The qualified inquest
The autopsy certificate
- ICD
- Duty to report
- Practical Tips
Autopsy in the hospital
Autopsy in the crematorium
In perspective
Sample pictures
General

Changes in corpses

Early changes in corpses
- General information, terminology
  - Desiccation, cooling
- Definitive indications of death
  - Lividity (Livores)
  - Rigor mortis
  - Fatal injury
- Determination of time of death
Later changes in corpses
- Changes in corpses due to decomposition
  - General findings
  - Autolysis
  - Decay
  - Decomposition
  - Case Examples
- Preservative changes in corpses
  - Mummification
  - Adipocere
  - Other forms of preservation
  - Case Examples
Damage by fauna
- Case examples
Forensic Entomology
- Terminology and classification
- Insects in forensic medicine
  - Demurrage determination and representative
    - Blowflies (Calliphoridae)
    - Flesh flies (Sarcophagidae)
    - True flies and latrine flies (muscidae & fanniidae)
    - Cheese flies (Piophilidae)
    - Scuttle flies (Phoridae)
    - Other flies
    - Carrion beetles (Silphidae)
    - Larder beetles (Dermestidae)
    - Other beetles
    - Other insects
  - Evidence of relocation of a corpse – ecosystematic correlation
  - Entomotoxicology
  - Neglect of persons in need of care
  - Forensic Veterinary Medicine and Entomology
- Preservation
  - Photographic documentation
  - Preservation and data collection
  - Aids for preservation
  - Contacts
- Further Literature

Suffocation

Introduction
- General explanations
- Oxygen demand in humans
- External signs of suffocation
Mechanical suffocation
- General
- Throat compression
  - Introduction
  - Hanging
    - General
      - Introduction
      - The criminalistic aspects
      - Typical hanging
      - Atypical hanging
    - Sample illustration
    - External findings
      - Ligature marks
      - Soft ligature / padding
      - Ridge bleeding
      - Lividity spots
      - Congestion signs
      - Salivation, bleeding from the nose and ears, protruding tongue
    - Internal findings
      - General
      - Larynx/os hyoides
      - Spine
      - Internal ligature marks
      - Lungs
      - Muscles/periosteum
    - Case examples
    - Case examples of overlooked causes of death by hanging
  - Throttling/strangling
    - General
    - Findings
    - Case samples
  - Throttling
    - General
    - Case examples
  - Throat hold
    - General
    - Choke holds
    - Police hold (arterial oobstruction, carotid sleeper)
    - Case examples
  - Other forms of throat compression
    - General
    - Case examples
- Disabling of the air passages
  - General
  - External blockage of the air passages
  - Foreign bodies
  - Bolus
  - Aspiration
    - General
    - Case examples
  - Drowning
    - Drowning types
    - Process of drowning
    - External findings
    - Table for assessing the duration of immersion according to H. Reh
    - Internal findings
    - Resurfacing corpses
    - Case examples
    - Bath deaths
- Thoracic compression
- Hemato/pneumothorax
Atmospheric suffocation
- General
- Rebreathing
  - General
  - Case examples
- Extraneous gases
  - Exclusion of the oxygen component by introducing inert gases into the air being breathed
  - Inhaling toxic Gases
    - General
    - Carbon monoxide
    - Carbon dioxide
    - Hydrogen cyanide
    - Sewer gases
  - Case examples

Sharp force

General
- Character of wounds
- Implements
- Cause of death
Knife wounds
Stab wounds
Wounds from broken glass
Dismemberment of a corpse
Case examples

Partial sharp force

General
Lethal stroke injuries
Impalement injuries
Bite injuries
Case examples

Blunt force

General
Reactions
- Skin reddening
- Bruising
- Excoriation
- Lacerations
- Crushing lacerations
- Desiccation
Bone damage
- Long bones
- Skull
- Spinal column
- Thorax
Internal injuries
- Vessels
- Organs
- TBI
Case studies

Accidents

General
Traffic accidents
Rail accidents
Domestic accidents
Workplace accidents

Falls

General
Falls on flat ground
Falls down steps
Falls from a greater height
Blow – counter blow
Case examples

Thermic effects

High temperatures
- Burns
  - General comments
  - Degrees of burns
  - Vital signs
  - Postmortal heat damage
- Scalding
- Hyperthermia
- Case examples
Low temperatures
- Hypothermia
- Freezing
- Case examples

Electricity

Reference technical-physical units
Safety low voltage
- General
- Findings
  - Findings: Electrical burn marks
  - Organs
- Death from electrocution
- Electricity in the bath
High tension
Lightning
- General
- Accident variants
- Results of lightning strikes
Electrical Impulse weapons (tasers)
- General
- Effects
- Findings
- Death cases
Case examples

Gunshot wounds

General
Firearms science
Ballistic science
Wound ballistics
Entry wounds
Shooting distance
Wound canal
Exit wounds
Ability to act
Case examples
Scene of crime procedures

Diving

Introduction – Diving fatalities
Understanding underwater procedures
- Diving physics
  - Pressure
  - The important properties of water
  - Gas properties
- Diving physiology
  - Energy balance
  - Nutrition
  - Breathing
    - Breathing under high pressure
    - Breathing resistance
    - Dead space influence
    - Hyperventilation
  - Heart- Circulatory System
  - Hearing and organ of balance
Diving fatalities in cold water
Fatalities from apnoea diving
Fatalities from snorkelling
Health problems specific to diving
Incidents under water
- Barotrauma of the lungs
- Decompression sickness (Caisson Sickness)
- Crash dive
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Deep water euphoria
- Oxygen poisoning
- Injuries from animals
Diving under special conditions
- Dives deeper than 40 m.
- Dives in low water temperatures / under ice
- Diving in strong currents
- Diving in warm water (> 25 – 30 C°)
- Dives at high altitudes (mountain lakes)
Processing fatal diving incidents
- Measures for clarification of a fatal diving accident
- What purpose does an official autopsy serve?

Toxicology

Chemical irritants and warfare agents
- General classifications
- Systematics and Definition
  - Systematics
  - Definitions
    - Irritants
      - Lachrymators (White cross)
      - Nose and throat irritants (Blue cross)
      - Combined irritants
    - Weapons of war
      - Disabling agents
      - Pulmonary agents
      - Skin agents
      - Nerve gas
      - Blood agents
- Criminal-technical tasks and safeguards

The special case, the interesting set of problems

The special case
The interesting set of problems