BRIEF HISTORY

OF LEGAL
MEDICINE
 THE EARLIEST
RECORDED-
LEGAL EXPERT
-IMHOTEP (2980 B.
C)
 THE CODE OF
HAMMURABI- THE
OLDEST CODE LAW (2200
B.C)-
INCLUDED LEGISLATION
ON ADULTERY, RAPE,
DIVORCE, INCEST,
ABORTION AND
VIOLENCE
HIPPOCRATES
(460-355 B.C)
DISCUSSED
THE
LETHALITY OF
WOUNDS
 ARISTOTLE
(384- 322 B.C)
FIXED
ANIMATION OF
FETUS AT THE
40TH DAY
AFTER
CONCEPTION
Click icon to add 300 B.C THE
picture CHINESE
MATERIA GAVE
INFORMATION
ON POISON
INCLUDING
ACONITE,
ARSENIC AND
OPUIM.
 THAT BODIES OF
ALL WOMEN DYING
DURING
CONFINEMENT
SHOULD
IMMEDIATELY BE
OPEN IN ORDER TO
SAVE THE CHILD’S
LIFE WAS
POMULGATED
DURING THE REIGN
OF NUMA
POMPILIUS IN
ROME (600 B.C)
 ANTISTIUS
THE FIRST
POLICE
SURGEON OR
FORENSIC
PATHOLOGIST
Julius Caesar was murdered and his body was

exposed in the forum and Antitius performed the

autopsy. He found out that Julius Caesar

suffered from twenty-three wounds and only one

penetrated the chest cavity through the space

between the first and second ribs .

JUSTINIAN (483- 565
B. C)
HE MENTIONED THAT
A PHYSICIAN IS NOT
AN ORDINARY
WITNESS AND THAT A
PHYSICIAN GIVES
JUDGMENT RATHER
THAN TESTIMONY.
This led to the recognition
of expert witness in court.
 The first text book in Legal
medicine was included in the
Constituto Criminalis Carolina
which was promulgated in 1532
during the reign of Emperor
Charles V in Germany.
POPE INNOCENT
III (1209)
ISSUED AN
EDICT
PROVIDING FOR
THE
APPOINTMENT
OF DOCTORS TO
THE COURTS
FOR THE
DETERMINATION
OF THE NATURE
OF WOUNDS.
POPE GREGORY IX
IN 1234
CAUSED THE
PREPARATION OF
NOVA COMPILATIO
DECRETALIUM.

Concerned medical evidence,

marriage, nullity, impotence,

delivery, caesarian section,

legitimacy, sexual offenses, crime

against persons and witchcraft .

 IN CHINA, THE
Click icon to add HSI YUAN LU
picture WAS
PUBLISHED
It is a five volume book
dealing with inquest,
criminal, abortion,
infanticide, signs of death,
assault, suicide, hanging,
strangling, drowning,
burning, poisoning and
antidotes, and examination
of the dead.
Pope John XXII- expressed the need of
experts in the ecclesiastical courts in the
diagnosis of leprosy and medico- legal
documents.

Ambroise Pare- considered legal medicine as a

separate discipline and he discussed in his book,
abortion, infanticide, death by lightning, hanging,
drowning, feign diseases, distinction between
ante-mortem and post-mortem wound and
poisoning by carbon monoxide and by corrosives.
 PAULUS ZACCHIAS
(1584- 1659)
A PAPAL PHYSICIAN,
REGARDED AS THE
“FATHER OF
FORENSIC MEDICINE”
He published Questiones
medico- legales which dealt
with the aspects of wounds
and the first two chapter
dealt with the detection of
secret homicide.
 IN 1598, SEVERIN
PINEAU PUBLISHED
IN PARIS A WORK
ON VIRGINITY AND
DEFLORATION. HE
CONFIRMED THE
EXISTENCE OF THE
HYMEN AND THAT
IT MAY NOT
RUPTURE DURING
SEXUAL
INTERCOURSE
Click icon to add MATHIEU ORFILA
picture (1787- 1853)
(TRAITE’ DES POISON)
INTRODUCED
CHEMICAL METHODS
IN TOXICOLOGY
Considered as the
Founder of Modern
Toxicology
IN THE PHILIPPINES
In 1858, the first medical textbook printed including
pertinent instructions related to medico-legal practice by
Spanish Physician, Dr. Rafael Genard y Mas Chief Army
Physician, entitled “Manual de Medicina Domestica.”

On March 31, 1876- by virtue of the Royal Decree No. 188,

of the King of Spain, the position of “Medico Titulares”
was created and made in charge of public sanitation and at
the same time medico- legal aid in the administration of
justice.
In remote places where the services of a
registered physician was not available, a
“Cirujano Ministrante” may perform medico-
legal work. (by virtue of Republic Act no. 1982
this was abolished).