History of Legal Medicine
Meaning of Legal Medicine
Branch of medicine which deals
with application of medical
knowledge to the purpose of
law and in the administration of
justice
It is the application of basic and
clinical, medical and
In Worldwide Scale
Imhotep (2980 B.C.)
The earliest recorded medicolegal expert who was the chief
physician and architect of King
Zoser of the 3rd Dynasty of Egpt
and the builder of the first
In Worldwide Scale
Code of Hammurabi
The oldest code of law (2200
B.C.) included legislation the
following:
Adultery
In Worldwide Scale
Hippocrates (460 355
B.C.)
Discussed in Greece the lethality
of wounds and Aristotle (384
322 B.C.) fixed the animation of
retus at the 40th day after
conception.
In Worldwide Scale
Antistuis
The first police surgeon or
forensic pathologist. He
performed the autopsy after Julius
Caesar (100 44 B.C.) was
murdered.
In Worldwide Scale
Justinian (483 565 B.C.)
Quoted in his digest Physician is
not an ordinary witness and that a
physician gives judgment rather
than testimony.
In Worldwide Scale
1532 Constituto
Criminals Carolina
First textbook was included during
the reign of Emperor Charles V in
Germany.
In Worldwide Scale
Pope Innocent III (1209)
He issued an edict providing for
the appointment of doctors to the
courts for the determination of
the nature of wounds.
In Worldwide Scale
Pope Gregory IX (1234)
Preparation of Nova Compilatio
Decretalium which concerns
medical evidence, marriage,
nullity, impotence, delivery,
caesarian section, legitimacy,
In Worldwide Scale
Pope John XXII (14th
century)
Expressed the need of experts in
the ecclesiastical courts, in the
diagnosis of leprosy and many
medico-legal documents.
In Worldwide Scale
His Yuan Lu (instructions
to coroner)
Published the five volume book
dealing with inquest, criminal
abortion, infanticide, signs of
death, assault, suicide, hanging,
strangling, drowning, burning,
In Worldwide Scale
Ambroise Pare (1575)
He considered legal medicine as a
separate discipline and discussed
in his book abortion, infanticide,
death by lightning, hanging,
In Worldwide Scale
Paulus Zacchias (1584 1659)
A papal physician who is regarded
as the father of forensic
medicine. He published
Questiones Medico-legales which
dealt with the legal aspects of
In Worldwide Scale
Severic Pineau (1598)
A book published in Paris a work
on virginity and defloration,
confirming the existence of the
hymen and that it may not
rupture during sexual intercourse.
In Worldwide Scale
Orpilia (1787 - 1853)
He introduced the chemical
methods in toxicology. In his
Traite des Poison, he mentioned
mineral, vegetable and animal
In The Philippines
Manual de Medicina
Domestica (1858)
The first medical textbook printed
including pertinent instructions
related to medico-legal practice
by Spanish physician, Dr. Rafael
Genard y Mas, Chief Army
In Worldwide Scale
School of Medicine of the Real
y Pontifica Universidad de
Santo Tomas (1871)
Teaching of legal medicine
included as an academic subject.
In The Philippines
Royal Decree No. 188 of
the King of Spain (March
31, 1876)
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 The Philippines
1894 rules regulating the
services of those Medico
Titular y Forences was
published.
1895 medico-legal
laboratory wsa established in
In The Philippines
1901 Philippine Commission
created the provincial, insular and
municipal Board of Health (Act
Nos. 157, 307 and 308) in the
Philippines. The Philippine
Legislature maintained the pre-
In The Philippines
1919 University of the
Philippines created the
Department of Legal Medicine
and Ethics and Dr. Sixto delos
Angelos as the chief.
January 10, 1922 the head of
In The Philippines
March 10, 1922 the Philippine
Legislature enacted Act. No. 1043
which became incorporated in the
Administrative Code as Section
2465 and provided that the
Department of Legal Medicine,
In The Philippines
March 3, 1939 - The
Department of Legal Medicine of
the College of Medicine, UP was
abolished and its function were
transferred to the Medico-Legal
section of the Division of
In The Philippines
June 28, 1945 the Division of
Investigation, under the DOJ was
reactivated.
June 19, 1947 Republic Act
157 creating the Bureau of
Investigation was passed.
In The Philippines
Cirujano Ministrante may perfrom
medico-legal work in remote
places in the absence of
registered physician.
RA 1982 (June 15, 1954)
creation of health unit to each
In The Philippines
PD 856 (Sec. 95) (December
23, 1975)
Person authorized to perform
autopsies.
Health Officers
Medical Officers of law
enforcement agencies
In The Philippines
PD 856 (Sec. 95) (December
23, 1975)
Autopsies shall be performed in
the following cases:
Whenever required by special laws
Upon order of a competent court,
a mayor and a provincial or city
