FMGE 2023 - Forensic Medicine PYQs Practice Questions

Q: Which of the following tests cannot be used to detect blood stains?

Barberio's test. ***Barberio's test*** - Barberio's test is used for the **detection of semen stains**, not blood stains - It is a Florence test that detects choline in seminal fluid by forming characteristic brown rhomboid or needle-shaped crystals of choline periodide - This test is specific for forensic identification of seminal stains in sexual assault cases *Incorrect - Spectroscopy* - Spectroscopy is widely used for blood detection by analyzing the absorption spectrum of hemoglobin and its derivatives - Different hemoglobin forms (oxyhemoglobin, reduced hemoglobin, methemoglobin) show characteristic absorption bands *Incorrect - Teichman's test* - Teichman's test is a confirmatory microcrystalline test for blood stains - Forms brownish rhomboid hemin crystals (hematin chloride) when blood is treated with glacial acetic acid and sodium chloride - Highly specific for blood detection in forensic medicine *Incorrect - Takayama's test* - Takayama's test is another confirmatory microcrystalline test for blood - Forms pink feathery hemochromogen crystals when blood is treated with pyridine and glucose in alkaline medium - More sensitive than Teichman's test and works well with old blood stains [Practice more Forensic Medicine PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: Inquest in a case of custodial death is handled by

Executive magistrate. ***Executive magistrate***- In India, an inquest in a case of **custodial death** (death in police lock-up or judicial custody/jail) is mandatory and must be conducted by a **Judicial Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate** under Section 176(1A) of the CrPC.- This requirement ensures the investigation is independent and impartial, reducing potential cover-up by the police or prison authorities.*Police inspector*- The **Police inspector** conducts inquests only for deaths that are suspicious, unnatural, or suicidal (Section 174 CrPC), but not for custodial deaths.- An inquest into a custodial death must be conducted by an authority outside the police establishment to ensure **transparency and accountability**.*Jail superintendent*- The **Jail superintendent** is the administrative head of the prison facility where the death occurred and cannot conduct the inquest due to inherent **conflict of interest**.- Their role is limited to immediately reporting the death to the appropriate Executive Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate, as mandated by law.*Superintendent of Police*- The **Superintendent of Police (SP)** is part of the police hierarchy and therefore not designated to conduct an inquest into a **custodial death**, as the investigation must be external to the involved agency.- The SP's authority is usually related to supervising police investigations, not conducting the specific **magisterial or judicial inquiry** required in these sensitive cases. [Practice more Forensic Medicine PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: Identify the type of homicide caused by smothering and traumatic asphyxia.

Burking. ***Burking***- This term refers to a specific method of **homicide** where death is caused by a combination of **smothering** (covering the mouth and nose) and **traumatic asphyxia** (compression of the chest and abdomen).- This technique prevents both air entry into the lungs and interferes with the respiratory diaphragm, ensuring rapid **asphyxia**.*Mugging*- *Mugging* is primarily defined as a **robbery** or theft involving violence or the threat of violence, not a specific mechanism of lethal asphyxia.- If death occurs during a mugging, the cause (e.g., blunt force trauma, stabbing, or **strangulation**) would define the injury, not the act of mugging itself.*Garrotting*- *Garrotting* specifically refers to a form of **ligature strangulation** often carried out using a specialized instrument or wire tightened around the neck.- Death results from occlusion of the **carotid arteries** and **jugular veins**, causing cerebral ischemia and congestion, or direct compression of the trachea.*Bansdola*- *Bansdola* is a historically recognized method of homicide, particularly in India, involving two people applying pressure to the victim's neck using a **bamboo stick** (*bans*).- This technique is a severe form of localized **strangulation** resulting in rapid mechanical asphyxia and vascular occlusion. [Practice more Forensic Medicine PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: According to the law, nothing is an offense if a person is of an unsound mind and is not able to understand that the nature and consequences of his/her act are wrong. Which rule of insanity applies in this case?

Mc Naughton's rule. ***Mc Naughton's rule***- This rule is the foundational test for legal insanity in many jurisdictions, which states that a defendant is legally insane if, at the time of the crime, they labored under such a defect of reason, from disease of the mind, as not to know the nature and quality of the act, or if they did know it, that they did not know they were doing what was **wrong**.- The essential criterion focuses on the **cognitive capacity** of the person—whether they understood the difference between right and wrong regarding the specific act.*Durham's rule*- Also known as the **"product test"**, this rule holds that an accused is not criminally responsible if their unlawful act was the **product** of mental disease or defect.- It was criticized for being too broad, focusing on the **causation** (act being a product of illness) rather than the defendant's cognitive capacity to appreciate wrongfulness.*Currens rule*- This option is not a universally recognized independent legal standard for insanity and does not correspond to the cognitive test described in the question.- It is sometimes confused with tests that focus on whether the patient's crime was a consequence of their mental condition, similar to the scope of the **Durham rule** or the ALI Model Penal Code test.*Irresistible impulse rule*- This rule, also called the **"policeman at the elbow"** test, focuses on the **volitional capacity**—the inability to control one's actions, even while knowing the act is wrong.- It differs from the cognitive focus of the M'Naghten rule because the person is aware the act is wrong but feels an overwhelming, **irresistible necessity** to commit it. [Practice more Forensic Medicine PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: In which poisoning is cherry red hypostasis seen on post-mortem examination?

CO Poisoning. ***CO Poisoning***- **Cherry red hypostasis** is the hallmark post-mortem finding in fatal **carbon monoxide (CO)** poisoning.- The bright red color is due to the formation of stable **carboxyhemoglobin (COHb)**, which retains this color even when blood pools after death.*Hydrogen sulphide* - Post-mortem findings usually include a **dark, tarry blood** consistency and the characteristic odor of **rotten eggs**.- It primarily acts by inhibiting cellular respiration, leading to asphyxia, but does not produce a bright red compound in the blood.*Yellow phosphorus*- This poisoning primarily causes severe **gastrointestinal irritation**, followed by fatal liver and kidney damage, leading to **jaundice**.- Post-mortem signs may include massive **hepatic necrosis** and luminescence (glowing) of the skin or vomit in the dark.*Hydrogen cyanide*- Cyanide poisoning can sometimes produce a pinkish flush or generalized redness but is typically associated with the odor of **bitter almonds**.- It causes cellular asphyxia by blocking **cytochrome c oxidase**, resulting in highly oxygenated venous blood (arterialization), but not the intense **cherry red** hue of CO poisoning. [Practice more Forensic Medicine PYQs on OnCourse]

Question 1

Which of the following tests cannot be used to detect blood stains?

Accepted Answer

Barberio's test

Answer

Spectroscopy

Answer

Teichman's test

Answer

Takayama's test

Question 2

Inquest in a case of custodial death is handled by

Accepted Answer

Executive magistrate

Answer

Police inspector

Answer

Superintendent of Police

Answer

Jail superintendent

Question 3

Identify the type of homicide caused by smothering and traumatic asphyxia.

Accepted Answer

Burking

Answer

Garrotting

Answer

Bansdola

Answer

Mugging

Question 4

According to the law, nothing is an offense if a person is of an unsound mind and is not able to understand that the nature and consequences of his/her act are wrong. Which rule of insanity applies in this case?

Accepted Answer

Mc Naughton's rule

Answer

Irresistible impulse rule

Answer

Durham's rule

Answer

Currens rule

Question 5

In which poisoning is cherry red hypostasis seen on post-mortem examination?

Accepted Answer

CO Poisoning

Answer

Hydrogen sulphide

Answer

Yellow phosphorus

Answer

Hydrogen cyanide

Question 6

A public witness of the incident is asked to attend the court and record his evidence. Which type of evidence is provided by the witness to the court?

Accepted Answer

Oral evidence

Answer

Circumstantial evidence

Answer

Subpoena

Answer

Hearsay evidence

Question 7

Post-mortem examination of a dead body reveals contraction of the hands with absent primary relaxation. What is this suggestive of?

Accepted Answer

Cadaveric spasm

Answer

Rigor mortis

Answer

Algor mortis

Answer

Livor mortis

Question 8

Study of death in all aspects is known as:

Accepted Answer

Thanatology

Answer

Forensic anthropology

Answer

Toxicology

Answer

Molecular death

Question 9

Following the recovery of a skull by the police, the relatives of a missing person want to confirm his identity. Which of the following techniques can be used to figure out a person's identity using the skull and photograph of the person?

Accepted Answer

Superimposition

Answer

Anthropometry

Answer

DNA fingerprinting

Answer

Cheiloscopy

FMGE 2023 — Forensic Medicine