Why is a postmortem necessary in unnatural deaths?

 Why is a postmortem necessary in unnatural deaths?

A postmortem is an examination of a body after death and is mandatory according to law in unnatural deaths.

A postmortem helps in finding the cause of death and helps in justice and helps in protecting the future from accidents and diseases.

A postmortem is an examination of a body after death. There are many misconceptions and misconceptions about postmortem in Nepali society. Due to such misconceptions and misconceptions in our society regarding postmortem, most of the relatives of the deceased do not want to perform a postmortem on the body of their loved one after death.

During a postmortem, the body has to be cut open and the internal organs examined. For this reason, people in Nepali society do not want to perform postmortems as much as possible due to religious and cultural issues.

However, if the death occurred in an unnatural manner, then a postmortem of such a body is necessary. For example: if someone finds a body in a murder, suicide, suspicious death, accidental death, sudden death, or a dead body, the police must be notified and a postmortem must be performed according to law. Since such deaths are suspicious, the cause of death must be found for the police investigation, for which a postmortem must be performed.

History of Postmortem

When digging into the history of postmortem, we have to go back to the beginning of the 14th century. In 1302, a postmortem of a body was performed for the purpose of investigating a death in Bologna, Italy. Similarly, since centuries ago, postmortems have also been performed in France, Egypt, and China to assist the law.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, postmortems gradually developed after the traditions of China and Babylon and the advanced use of European medical science. It was born separately in medicine, which was named ‘forensic medicine’. This field includes postmortems of bodies and medico-legal cases.

This branch of medicine is also known and understood as forensic pathology or legal medicine in some countries. In Nepal, the practice of performing postmortems in suspicious deaths seems to have started since 1960. The government doctor of Kathmandu's Prison Hospital officially started postmortems for the first time at Bir Hospital.

Why do postmortems?

Section 20 of the Criminal Procedure (Code) Act 2074 BS states that in the Nepali Constitution, in case of an accident, suicide or suspicious death within the territory of Nepal, the postmortem of the deceased must be paid by the government at all costs. Postmortems are performed at the request of the legal authorities responsible for investigating accidental and unnatural deaths, and the Nepal Police has the legal authority in Nepal.

A question that comes to the police every time after a death is why do we perform postmortems? What is the benefit of performing postmortems? The dead person is already dead, so why should we cause more suffering?

First of all, what should we understand is that we perform postmortems for the living rather than for the dying person. Postmortems provide a basis for finding out the facts and the cause of death, punishing the guilty and saving the innocent.

It helps in justice. In addition, performing a postmortem reveals many details about the death, which not only helps in investigating the death but also helps in making the living aware of diseases and causes of death.

In the event of a vehicle accident, the nature of the internal injuries can be examined and the safety systems of vehicles can be made aware. Previously, it was through such research that helmets were worn while riding a motorcycle, seat belts were made mandatory while driving, and airbags were made mandatory in vehicles, as well as head rests in the event of an accident.

Reasons for performing a postmortem

1. In fatal accidents

A postmortem is mandatory in fatal accidents because it can be found out which part of the human body is most affected in an accident and which part is most affected and leads to death. This helps in knowing about the measures to be taken to avoid the accident, the methods to be adopted in treatment, and awareness. This helps in reducing the number of deaths caused by fatal accidents.

2. In case of sudden death

In case of sudden death, postmortem can be done to find out the disease that most people die from. Postmortem can be done to find out which part of the body is affected by such diseases. By finding out the nature and condition of the disease, society can be helped to save it from diseases. Similarly, this can also help to find out about hereditary diseases and alert other family members in time to save it from premature death.

3. Help the law

The police must conduct a postmortem when investigating a death. The cause of death is mentioned on the basis of the postmortem report, based on which further legal investigation is carried out.

In case of suspicious death, the family, relatives and eyewitnesses of the deceased also make various statements according to their interests. Preparing a postmortem report based on statements affects the police investigation, therefore, postmortem is also mandatory from a legal point of view to help in finding out the exact cause of death and conducting a fair investigation.

3. For scientific research

The nature of the wounds on the body may vary between a vehicle accident, a fall, and a beating, which will allow proper scientific research to examine the nature of the injuries on disputed bodies in the future and determine whether the injuries were caused by a vehicle accident, a duty-related death (beating), or a fall. There may be grounds for distinguishing between the two.

How is a postmortem performed?

A postmortem is performed in all district hospitals or large government hospitals in Nepal. After a police report, it should be performed by a forensic expert or a doctor registered with the Nepal Medical Council. During a postmortem, the body is completely naked, the outer covering is noted, and the body is completely dissected and examined.

Sometimes, pieces of various parts of the body are removed to provide additional evidence for the police to investigate and the doctor performing the postmortem to determine the cause of death. And it is also sent to the police forensic laboratory for further examination. After the postmortem, a report with the doctor's signature is submitted to the police.

Postmortem related mistakes

1. The body is not dismembered during a postmortem

During a postmortem, the body is dissected as needed, and after examining the vital organs, the body is re-stitched and handed over to the relatives in its original state.

2. The organs of the body are not removed during the postmortem

The main purpose of performing a postmortem is to find out the cause of death. Therefore, the body is dissected and examined for important organs. Then the organs are placed inside the body and sewn up and sent. In any suspicious situation, small pieces of organs can be removed for testing for poisons and other chemicals as needed. Then the organs are sewn up in their entirety. After death, no organ works for another person.

3. A postmortem cannot be done without dissecting the body

In Nepal, a postmortem cannot be done without dissecting the body. However, sometimes, since hospital reports reveal the cause of death based on CT scans and X-rays, a postmortem can be done even with minimal incisions. Therefore, the hospital report is important after death.

4. Is it known whether a person is dead or not after an autopsy?

A postmortem is basically to find out the cause of death. After the cause of death is determined, the investigation into whether the death was accidental, accidental, or suicide remains. After the doctor determines the cause of death, the police investigate based on that. The doctor who performs the autopsy does not reveal the exact cause.

But sometimes, based on the nature of the injuries on the body, the doctor can give an opinion to the court about accidental, accidental, or suicide.

Postmortem Neglected

Postmortem plays an important role in determining the cause of death and minimizing deaths due to potential disasters.

Due to the state's lack of importance in this field, the new methods introduced by medical science in this field have not yet been introduced in Nepal, which is why even today the postmortem space in government hospitals in Nepal is limited to a dark room.

In developed countries, postmortem examination rooms are equipped with postmortem X-rays and CT scans, as well as labs for DNA, drug and poison testing, to minimize the amount of dissection required during postmortems. However, ironically, in Nepal, state agencies are less knowledgeable about what constitutes a dead body and have neglected this area in every way.

The wall didn't know, the mobile has ears!

 The wall didn't know, the mobile has ears!

We often listen, the wall also has ears. This saying is often used as a warning to be careful when having sensitive or confidential conversations. But in the current digital age, this has started to be experienced as a reality. It is not clear that the wall has ears, but many are now curious about whether the mobile is listening to us.

Many of us have experienced that after we talk to friends or family about a product or service, the related advertisement appears on the mobile. Therefore, many people now have the question, "Do our phones or apps really listen to our conversations?"

What is the fact that the mobile listens?

According to studies and experts, under normal circumstances, your phone does not listen to you constantly. However, some apps or voice assistants (such as Google Assistant, Siri) only activate and listen to audio after hearing a 'wake word' such as "Hey Siri" or "OK ​​Google".

Why do we see advertisements for the same product or service that we are talking about?

Rather than our phones constantly listening and showing us ads as we might expect, ads are targeted based on our internet usage, search history, location, and social media activity. That’s why sometimes ‘what we’re talking about’ and ‘ads in our feed’ coincidentally match.

How to check if your phone is listening to you

You can easily check if your phone is listening to you.

1. Think of a topic that you’re not normally interested in. No matter why you’re not interested, there’s no record of any previous searches, website visits, or conversations related to the topic.

2. After choosing a topic, sit close to your phone and talk about it. Use keywords related to the topic as much as possible. For example, if you think of the topic “boat engine,” say things like “where can I buy a boat engine?”, “which boat engine is reliable?”, “how much does a new boat engine cost?” Your words should clearly indicate a desire to buy an engine. Talk like this for a few days.

3. Then evaluate the ads that appear in your feed. This includes ads from platforms like YouTube videos, Google search, and social media feeds. If you start seeing ads related to boat engines or boats, your phone is listening to you.

What can we do?

Permission control: Go to your phone's settings and remove access from apps that don't require the microphone.

Turn off voice assistants: Disable services like Google Assistant or Siri when not in use.

Be aware: Don't install unnecessary apps, and read privacy policies when installing apps.

According to studies and experts, your phone or apps are not constantly listening to you. However, apps or voice assistants that have received microphone permission can listen to your commands. For this reason, we need to make it a habit to manage permissions consciously, turn off unnecessary services, and read privacy information.

What is Alpha School in America, where AI teaches instead of teachers!

 What is Alpha School in America, where AI teaches instead of teachers!

What comes to mind when you think of ‘school’? Surely, for many, classrooms from kindergarten to 12th grade, front-line teachers, and long lessons come to mind. This is how schools have been set up for centuries. But now, as AI is changing our lifestyle, the traditional way of learning and schooling has also started to take a new form.

Alpha School, located in Texas, USA, has become a global sensation due to its unique and modern way of teaching students. Instead of a teacher teaching 25-40 students at a time as per the traditional style, it is said that in this school, students are instructed individually by AI guides. It is said that the AI ​​system also analyzes their progress and provides immediate feedback, which helps them improve their weaknesses.

At Alpha School, students are said to have to study for only 2 hours a day. According to international media, after two hours of study, Alpha School students spend time on physical activity, problem-solving activities, leadership exercises, and life skills. These include activities ranging from long bike rides to creative projects and entrepreneurship training.

Another feature of Alpha School is its financial rewards system. Students are said to earn money for completing assignments, projects, or mastering skills, which they can spend on their own projects or interests, or even invest.

According to international media, Alpha School is not a school that appeared overnight or became famous. It has been operating on campuses in Texas, Florida, and California for more than a decade, and is now preparing to expand to New York City. It is said that a new Alpha campus is planned to open in Manhattan next September, with annual tuition fees ranging from $40,000 to $65,000, depending on the location.

This unique and technological teaching style demonstrated by Alpha School has shown the potential for education to take on a completely new form through innovation, not just limited to books and teachers.

Some of our habits, which can be improved to improve health

 Some of our habits, which can be improved to improve health

Eating late at night increases the risk of diabetes, so you should finish your meal by 8/9 pm and eat light meals.

Eating too fast can cause gastritis, so you should chew your food slowly and thoroughly.

Excessive salt intake increases high blood pressure, so it is recommended to not eat more than 6 grams of salt per day and eat less processed food.

A balanced and healthy lifestyle is essential to prevent and control any disease. Sometimes some habits cause disease. While some promote diseases. If we identify these habits and change them in time, positive improvements in health are possible.

There are some habits, which can be changed to avoid diseases.

1. Diabetes

Eating late at night can cause imbalanced blood sugar levels, which reduces the effect of insulin in the body. This makes it difficult to control sugar. It is better to finish eating by 8/9 pm. Dinner should be light. After eating, you should walk for a while.

2. Migraine

Skipping meals can increase migraine symptoms. Not getting enough nutrition on time can lower blood sugar levels and increase headaches. A regular and balanced diet helps in controlling migraines.

3. Heart disease

Physical inactivity is a major cause of the disease. Not exercising regularly can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. You should do at least 30 minutes of light or moderate exercise daily. You can also walk.

4. Osteoporosis

Complete deprivation of sunlight weakens bones. Spend 15 minutes in the early morning sun and include calcium-rich foods in your diet.

5. Gastritis

Eating too quickly affects the protective layer of the stomach, which causes irritation and gas. You should chew your food slowly and thoroughly.

6. Acid reflux

If you sleep immediately after eating, stomach acid can flow back into the esophagus. You should stay active for at least 2 hours after eating. Eat light and less spicy food at night.

7. Stomach problems

Not drinking enough water can cause problems like constipation and acidity. You should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water throughout the day. So that the digestion process remains smooth and excretion is easy.

8. Liver disease

Excessive oil-spices and processed foods put an extra burden on the liver. Such foods should be avoided. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be prioritized in your daily diet.

9. Dementia

Mental inactivity and watching television for a long time negatively affect brain function. Therefore, you should learn something new every day and exercise your brain.

10. Insomnia

Excessive use of screens, especially before going to bed, affects sleep. You should stop using mobile and television at least 1 hour before going to bed. You should set a regular sleep time.

11. Anxiety

Spending time on social media can increase mental stress. Limit your use of social media. Include meditation, yoga, and relaxation techniques in your daily life.

12. High blood pressure

Excessive salt intake can increase blood pressure. Excess salt causes water retention in the body, which increases pressure on the heart. Therefore, you should avoid eating processed and fast foods that are high in salt and should not consume more than 6 grams of salt per day. You should also give up the habit of sprinkling salt on your food.

13. Anemia

Many people drink tea immediately after eating, but this hinders the absorption of iron in the body. Therefore, tea should be drunk at least 1 hour before or 1 hour after eating. Green vegetables, lentils, and iron-rich foods should be prioritized in the diet.

What are the procedures for postmortems and identification of those who died in the protests?

 What are the procedures for postmortems and identification of those who died in the protests?

Coordination between forensic science, police, and hospitals is necessary to identify and determine the cause of death of those who died during the protests.

An official letter of medico-legal examination from the police is required before the postmortem is conducted, which confirms the cause of death.

DNA analysis and other scientific methods are used to identify bodies that have been burned, but identifying completely burned bodies is challenging.

Violent incidents during protests cause great human loss. In such incidents, a complex and sensitive procedure is adopted to identify and determine the cause of death of those who die due to gunshots, fire, or other injuries.

Coordination between forensic science, as well as the police, and hospitals is very important to identify and determine the cause of death of the deceased. This process is sensitive from both a scientific and legal perspective.

Incident and initial procedures

People who die during the protests are often taken to the hospital immediately by eyewitnesses or friends. The name of the deceased is registered in the hospital and treatment is attempted. If the person is confirmed not to be alive, the body is sent for postmortem. Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu is a well-equipped centre for mortuary storage and postmortem. The body is preserved in a freezer facility. The teaching hospital has the necessary equipment for proper management of the body and postmortem, which makes the process systematic.

Identification process of the deceased

Initial identification

The identity cards, jewellery or other personal belongings of the deceased form the initial basis for identification. The name and address of the deceased can be ascertained from such items. If such items are not available, the relatives come to the hospital and identify the body.

Personal belongings are of great help in the identification process, but sometimes other scientific methods have to be used in cases where these items are destroyed.

Notification to relatives

Once the details of the deceased are registered in the hospital, the relatives are informed. The hospital maintains a list of the names of the deceased, which the relatives look at to identify the body. Once the identity is confirmed, the postmortem process proceeds.

Postmortem and medico-legal process

A medical-legal examination is required from the police before a postmortem can be conducted. In cases where police stations are affected, such a letter is issued by the Kathmandu Police Complex. A postmortem determines the cause of death, such as gunshot wounds, injuries or fire. This process is important for the relatives of the deceased and the community to uncover the truth.

The main causes of death during the protests currently include gunshot wounds, internal injuries, head injuries or fire. In cases of gunshot deaths, doctors analyze the nature of the bullet and the damage to the body.

Identification of people who died in a fire

The identification of bodies that died in a fire is complicated. For example, in the case of seven people who died in a fire in Bhatbhateni, identification is challenging. Methods such as presumptive identification and DNA analysis are used to identify burned bodies. If jewelry, clothes or other personal belongings are left, they can be used to identify them.

DNA Analysis

When a body is not completely burned and some tissue remains, DNA is extracted and analyzed. This process is carried out at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory of the Nepal Police. DNA analysis can confirm the identity of the deceased, but this process is time-consuming and resource-intensive.

DNA Analysis Process

DNA Extraction

DNA is extracted from white blood cells, because red blood cells do not have a nucleus. DNA can be extracted from bones or teeth in burned bodies, if they are not destroyed.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR-M)

If the amount of DNA is low, the amount of DNA is increased by the PCR-M process. This makes it easier to analyze the DNA sequence adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine.

Profile Matching

The DNA profile of the deceased is compared with the DNA of his father or mother. A 50 percent match between the father or mother's DNA confirms the identity.

Challenges in completely burnt bodies

If the body is completely burnt and the tissues are destroyed, DNA analysis is not possible. In such a case, identification becomes impossible. Also, if the relatives of the deceased do not contact them in time, the process becomes more complicated. The possibility of identifying completely burnt bodies is limited, but we must make the most of the resources and technology available.

This process is not only to identify the deceased and determine the cause of death, but it is also a means of ensuring truth and justice in society. Such sensitive processes provide comfort to the victim’s family and provide truthful information to society.