[Statistical survey of medico-legal activities for the murderous and accidental death (40 cases) by use of fire arms].

Abstract

A total number of judicial autopsies conducted in the Department of Legal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine during the period of Jan 1963 and Mar 1987 was recorded 1,157 cases including 40 cases caused by the fire arms. This indicates 3.4% of total numbers of death resulting from subject accidents, and the outline thereof is following. 1) Murder case-35, accidental case-5, suicide case-none. 2) Lethal weapons used for the murder: Pistol-26 cases, hunting gun-8 cases, joint use of illicitly hand-made fowling piece and pistol-1 case. All 5 accidental cases of the above were caused by wrong use of hunting guns. 3) The age of victims: Thirties-17 cases, Forties-10 cases, Fifties-4 cases, Teens-4 cases. Twenties-3 cases, one year and downward and from sixty years up-1 case respectively. 4) The entry wound and exit wound caused by the use of fire arms and other several matters in regard to medico-legal investigations and views thereof were taken up in consideration from various angles.