The accurate description and interpretation of injuries is one of the most important functions of the forensic physician. Marks of violence may be found on the victim of an assault, either physical or sexual, on a child suspected of having been abused, on a police officer arresting a violent suspect, on a prisoner alleging ill-treatment whilst in custody, or on a body found dead in suspicious circumstances. The doctor asked to carry out an examination in such cases must be able to record injuries accurately, be aware of their medico-legal significance and be able to give a useful opinion on how they may have been caused.

Describing wounds

The examination should preferably be made in good light; in practice however, conditions may be less than ideal, for example, when called out at night, in the rain, to examine a dead body in a dark entry. Under such circumstances a powerful torch or floodlighting of the scene may be required. A few basic items of equipment are also essential: a hand-lens (or better still, an illuminated magnifier), a ruler with clear metric markings, a tape measure and a pair of calipers. Body charts (examples are available on the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine website (www.fflm.ac.uk)) are invaluable for recording injuries. A portable ultra violet torch may help to highlight faint bruises. In cases of serious assault or when injuries have distinctive characteristics of patterning, wounds must be professionally photographed with a suitable scale included beside the wound.