INTRODUCTION OF

FORENSIC MEDICINE

Prof. Dr. Slobodan Savić

Institute of Forensic Medicine “Milovan Milovanović”
School of Medicine, University of Belgrade
Prof. Dr. Snežana Veljković
 INTRODUCTION OF
FORENSIC MEDICINE
forensic medicine
legal medicine
medical jurisprudence
 INTRODUCTION OF
FORENSIC MEDICINE
FORENSIC MEDICINE IS A BRANCH OF
MEDICAL SCIENCE, BUT INVOLVED AS AN
INTEGRAL PART OF MEDICINE AND LAW

THE ROLE OF FORENSIC MEDICINE IS

MEDICAL TESTIMONY

IN JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS
The name “forensic” comes from the Roman word
“forum” for market place were lawyers took part in
ancient court procedures in Rome
 THE PAST OF FORENSIC
MEDICINE
Two Alexandrian doctors
Erasistratus and
Herophilus have dissected
bodies of warriors to
determine the cause of
death - III century BC
 THE PAST OF FORENSIC
MEDICINE
Antistius, a doctor in
ancient Rome, examined
the body of Julius Caesar
after his killing.
He reached the opinion
that, out of 23 wounds, the
only mortal was one in the
chest.
 THE PAST OF FORENSIC
MEDICINE
The first known postmortem
examination in Serbia was
conducted in 1839 by Dr. Karl
Pacek, the personal doctor of
duke Milos Obrenovic.

He performed autopsy of duke’s

son Milan who probably died
from tuberculosis.
 THE PAST OF FORENSIC
MEDICINE
Prof. Dr. Milovan Milovanović
(1884-1948)
a founder of forensic medicine
in Serbia

In 1923 forensic medicine was

introduced in studies at the Medical
Faculty, University of Belgrade
On 25th june 1923 the Institute of Forensic
Medicine was founded, and Milovan Milovanović
was promoted to an associate professor of the
School of Medicine in Belgrade.
Since 1981 the Institute of Forensic Medicine
is situated in this new building
2020 97th anniversary
 THE LEGAL SYSTEM

CRIMINAL LAW

CIVIL LAW

The basic pattern is

similar in all countries.
 THE LEGAL SYSTEM
CRIMINAL LAW
It concerns offences
against persons, property,
public safety, the security
of the state, etc.

CRIMES - homicide, rape,

violence, burglary...
THE LEGAL SYSTEM
CRIMINAL LAW
Penalties for those crimes
consist of
imprisonment,
monetary fines,
in some countries
mutilation or execution
 THE LEGAL SYSTEM
CIVIL LAW
It concerns a dispute between
two persons or two groups

One person claims that

another person or a group
caused some private wrong
or damages
 THE LEGAL SYSTEM
CIVIL LAW
The result in civil
proceedings is either
a compromise or a
penalty in form of
financial
compensation.
THE DOCTOR AND THE LAW
ANY DOCTOR MAY BE INVOLVED AS
MEDICO LEGAL PROFESSIONAL, BUT
MOSTLY THIS IS:

PATHOLOGIST
FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST
THE DOCTOR AND THE LAW
DOCTORS INVOLVED IN JUDICIAL
PROCEEDINGS AS A WITNESS:

 AN ORDINARY WITNESS
 A PROFESSIONAL WITNESS
 AN EXPERT WITNESS
THE DOCTOR AND THE LAW
ORDINARY WITNESS
IS “A WITNESS OF FACT”

doctor appears as an
ordinary citizen to give
evidence what he saw or
knows about some crime
event
 THE DOCTOR AND THE LAW
PROFESSIONAL WITNESS

doctor gives some

medical fact or evidence
of something he did or
saw during his own
medical work
THE DOCTOR AND THE LAW

EXPERT WITNESS

a doctor who assists the

legal proceedings by
giving an expert testimony
or medical opinion on
certain medical facts
THE DOCTOR AND THE LAW

DOCTORS INVOLVED AS EXPERT

WITNESSES GIVE MEDICAL EVIDENCE
IN THE FORM OF ORAL OR WRITTEN
STATEMENT
accepted by the court as
documentary evidence
 INTRODUCTION OF
FORENSIC MEDICINE
Thank you for your attention!