AIIMS PGMEE FORENSIC MEDICINE YEAR 2004 QUESTIONS.

                                        MAY, 2004

1. In each freshwater drowning the death occurs within 4-5 minutes
    of submersion due to ventricular fibrillation. Which of the
     following reasons is responsible for this?

    A) Total asphyxia is produced due to fresh water.

    B) Laryngospasm causing vagal inhibition.

    C) Haemoconcentration of blood caused by the osmotic
         pressure effect.

    D) Haemodilution, overloading of heart and haemolysis in
         release of Potassium.

Answer: D.

Explanation: 

 in fresh water drowning: Haemodilution, Hypervolaemia, Anoxia, Hyperkalaemia and Hyponatremia will subject the heart to great stress and cause ventricular fibrillation and death in 4-5 minutes.

2. A 25 years female was found dead in room with 100% burns on her body. The tongue was protruding out; body was in pugilistic attitude with heat ruptures, peeling of skin, and heat haematoma and heat fractures of skull. Carboxy haemoglobin was 25% and soot particles were present in trachea. Which of the combinations of two findings will establish that the burns were antemortem in nature

A) Heat haematoma & heat ruptures

B) Heat fracture of skull and peeling of skin.

C) Heat haematoma & pugilistic attitude.

D) Carboxy haemoglobin (25%) & soot particles in trachea.

Answer: D.

Explanation: 

                              Antemortem burn                               Postmortem burn

1. line of redness          present                                                     absent

2. Vesicles           contain Albuminous fluid & chloride             contain air

3. Infection             pus & sloughing                                                nil

4. Healing                 Granulation                                                     nil

5. Soot in resp. tract      present                                                 absent

6. Carboxy Hb in blood  present                                               absent

7. Enzymes                     Increased                                         No change.

3. The phenomenon of suspended animation may be seen in

    A) Throttling                                         B) Drowning

    C) Strangulation                                    D) Brain haemorrhage.

Answer: B.

Explanation: causes of suspended animation are drowning, electrocution, heat stroke, after anaesthesia, cerebral concussion, typhoid fever, deep shock, in the new born, yogi's trans states.

4. A lady died due to unnatural death within 7 years after her marriage. The inquest in this case will be done by

   A) Forensic medicine expert   B) Deputy superintendent of police

   C) Sub-divisional magistrate   D) Coroner.

Answer: C.

Explanation: 1. in dowry death the inquest is done by Magistrate.

                       2. if the death of a woman occurs within 7 years of
                           marriage under unnatural circumstances, it
                           constitutes a dowry death (sec. 304B IPC).

5. Cheiloscopy is the study of prints of 

   A) Foot            B) Fingers                  C) Palate           D) Lips.

Answer: D.

Explanation: Chieloscopy is the study of lip prints as a means of personal identification.

                                 NOVEMBER, 2004

1. Which of the following statement about blood grouping is not correct

    A) it can be used to resolve confusion of identity in alleged
         exchange of babies in maternity unit

    B) it is the method to conclusively fix the paternity

    C) it can assist in matching fragmented human remains in mass
         disaster

    D) it can help to show whether blood stain on the weapon
         belongs to the suspect or victim

Answer: B.

Explanation: 

medicolegal aspects of blood groups.

1. disputed paternity and maternity

2. inheritance claims

3. Rh hazards

4. Transfusion errors

5. to determine the possible source of blood stains in circumstances such as murder, wounding, rape

    and vehicular accidents.

 in paternity testing an absolute identification can be made by DNA testing.

2. The dead body of a murdered person is brought for preservation in mortuary. Which of the following statements is not correct.

    A) the body should be stored averagely at 4 degree C.

    B) the body can be embalmed before postmortem

    C) the body should be never undressed before the forensic doctor
         has seen it

    D) the body can be stored at -20 degree C to preserve it for long
         duration.

Answer: B.

Explanation: in dealing with cases of suspected poisoning, autopsy should be performed prior to embalming. The embalming process interferes with both qualitative identification of the poison and its quantitation.

3. When a person has suspended himself by applying ligature around the neck so that the point of suspension (knot) is situated in the region of the occiput. Such hanging is called as

    A) Typical         B) Atypical         C) Partial       D) Incomplete.

Answer: A.

Explanation:

Typical Hanging: the ligature runs from the midline above the thyroid cartilage symmetrically upwards on both sides of the neck to occipital region.

4. An 11 year old rape victim is brought to casualty for medical examination. The medical officer is required to do the following except

   A) the consent is to be taken from the patient

   B) the patient should be examined in presence of a female
        attendant

   C) the patient should be given necessary emergency treatment

   D) all the necessary forensic samples should be collected

Answer: A.

Explanation:consent of child below the age of 12 years is invalid.

5. A body is brought for autopsy with history of poisoning. On postmortem examination, there is dark brown postmortem staining and garlic odour in stomach. In this case the poisoning is most likely due to

   A) Hydrocyanic acid                             B) Carbon dioxide  
   C) Aniline dye                                       D) Phosphorus

Answer: D.

Explanation: 

colour of  PM staining: 
dark brown (or) yellow -------- Phosphorus, copper poisoning

 cherry red                     -------- Carbon monoxide

 chocolate colour           -------- Nitrites, aniline, nitrobenzene,                                                              bromates, chlorates.

Smell in stomach:  
garlic                 ---------- Phosphorus, arsine gas, arsenic, thallium,                                            parathion, malathion

sweet or fruity  ----------- ethanol, chloroform, nitrites

rotten eggs        ----------- Hydrogen sulphide, mercaptans,                                                        disulfiram
fishy or musty  -----------  zinc phophide.