İdris Deniz

Evaluation of farm tractor-related fatalities.

Farm tractors are the major cause of occupational fatalities in agricultural regions. Fatalities typically result from being run over or crushed by the tractor, becoming entangled in the moving parts of the tractor, accidents on roadways, and tractor rollovers, which involve the tractor tipping sideways or backwards and crushing the operator. In this study, tractor-related fatalities in the Konya province of Turkey are retrospectively evaluated. Out of the 3940 cases on which a death examination and/or autopsy was performed between the years 2000 and 2007 at The Konya Branch of Forensic Medicine Council, 86 (2.2%) of the death cases were caused by tractor accidents and are included in this study. The ages of the victims varied between 3 and 80 years old with a mean age of 31.7 ± 22.3. Sixty-eight (79.1%) of the cases involved males, while 18 (20.9%) of the cases involved females. In 32 (37.2%) of the cases, the deaths due to tractor accidents occurred when the tractor overturned. In 37 (43.0%) of the cases, the tractor-related fatalities involved the passengers and the drivers were involved in 34 (39.5%) of the cases. In conclusion, tractor accidents are preventable and deaths from tractor accidents can be significantly reduced if drivers are required to wear safety belts and helmets and frequent checks are implemented to enforce the ban on carrying passengers.

A series of complex suicide

This article presents 16 complex suicide cases. Complex suicide is defined as the use of more than one method to induce death. Of the victims, 10 were men and the ages ranged from 19 to 70 years. Eight victims left a suicide note. It was observed that 13 victims realized the suicidal act in the house and 5 victims had previous suicidal attempts. It was determined that 10 victims had psychiatric disorders, one of them had alcohol dependence. Six victims were housewives, 4 victims were unemployed, followed by one each victim of student, worker, farmer, tradesman, prayer leader, and animal husbandry lines of business. Ten victims were married; 3 victims were single; and 3 victims were divorced. On investigating the methods of suicide, it was seen that 9 victims preferred sharp instrument usage; 5 victims insecticide ingestion; 4 victims each firearms, medicine overdose; 3 victims each hanging, falling from a height; 2 victims self-strangulation; and 1 victim each drowning, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas inhalation together, fungicide ingestion, rodenticide ingestion. It was determined that 2 victims used 3 methods and the other 14 victims 2 methods in company, to realize the suicide. In this article, the data obtained from our study was discussed by comparing similar data.

Is Daily Shaving of Axillary and Pubic Hair a Feature of Suicide in the Muslim Community

In the Islamic context, “fitrah” refers to humanitys innate disposition toward virtue and the ability to differentiate between right and wrong. A common quote regarding fitrah, from the Prophet is “The fitrah consists of 5 things: circumcision, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and shaving the pubic hairs.” In this study, our aim was to determine the status of axillary and pubic shaving in medicolegal death cases that took place in the Konya Province of Turkey and to evaluate the relationship with the origin of suicide. Of 2850 medicolegal death cases, 206 (7.2%) were of suicidal origin. It was observed that the average age in the cases of suicidal origin was 36.76 ± 17.72 years, and 146 of 206 cases (70.9%) were men. As a method of suicide, hanging was the chosen method in 100 cases (48.5%), whereas firearm injuries occurred in 54 cases (26.2%), and intoxication was involved in 37 cases (18.0%). Daily axillary and pubic shaving was observed in 26 of 2644 (1.0%) death cases that occurred with nonsuicidal reasons, but in 65 of 206 were (31.6%) suicidal cases. Because suicidal notes were present in 25 (12.1%) of all of the suicidal cases, the ratio of daily axillary and pubic shaving was significantly higher than that of the suicidal notes. In investigating the cases of suicidal origin for medicolegal purposes, evidence showing that this action was committed by the victim, the presence of a suicide note at the death scene and, a history of a previous suicidal attempt, it was thought that the presence of daily axillary and pubic shaving on external examination of the victims body, when of Muslim faith, could also be considered a feature of suicide.

Precautions taken to avoid abandoning the act of hanging and reducing pain in suicidal hanging cases.

This study presents 17 cases of hanging with some preventative measures, when compared with usual hanging fatalities, between 2002 and 2006 in the province of Konya, Turkey. We observed in 4 cases that the victim had only tied together their hands, whereas in 1 case both the hands (with a clothesline) and mouth (with a plastic bag) had been fastened. In a further case, the oral orifice had been closed using a scarf and in the remaining 11 cases, soft materials such as a scarf, hood, the collar of a coat or shirt had been used as padding against the ligature loop. At first glance, the cases where the victims hands and/or mouth were found tied were thought to be homicides. However, an investigation of the death scene, together with the autopsy findings and inquiry data, showed the cause of death was from suicide. Thus, in suicidal hanging cases certain precautions and preventative measures were observed. For example, tying the hands together was regarded as a means to make self-release impossible; closure of the oral orifice as a means to prevent the victim from calling out for help, and placing soft material against the ligature loop was thought to be an attempt to lessen the feeling of pain.

Modifiye Edilmemiş Kurusıkı Silah ile Meydana Gelmiş İntihar Orijinli Bir Ölüm Olgusu

Kurus›k› silahlar genellikle zarars›z kabul edilen, üretimi, kullan›m› ve sat›fl› 5729 say›l› yasa ile düzenlenen, sat›n al›nmas› ve elde edilmesi nispeten kolay olan silahlard›r. Yaz›da kurus›k› silah ile intihar orijinli bafl bölgesinden yaralanma sonucu ölen 31 yafl›nda bir erkek olgu sunuldu. Otopside, sa¤ temporal bölgede bitiflik at›fl bulgular› gösteren ateflli silah yaras›, sa¤ temporal kemi¤in skuamöz parças›nda k›r›klar, epidural ve subaraknoidal kanama, sa¤ temporal lobta kontüzyon tespit edildi. Kiflinin ölümünün kurus›k› silah fifle¤inin gaz bas›nc› etkisiyle meydana gelen beyin doku hasar› ve kafa içi kanama neticesinde meydana geldi¤i sonucuna var›ld›. Olguda da görüldü¤ü üzere kurus›k› silahlar, bitiflik ya da bitifli¤e yak›n mesafeden gerçeklefltirilen at›fllarda ölümcül yaralar oluflturabilmektedir. Dolay›s›yla bu silahlar›n namlular› gaz ç›k›fl›n› engelleyecek flekilde yeniden dizayn edilmelidir. Anahtar kelimeler: Kurus›k› silah, ölüm, adli t›p

Dead bodies found in wells.

Corpses found in wells or lime pits must be identified and the cause and manner of death must be determined. There are several circumstances that may lead to the presence of corpses in wells. In this study, 3940 death examinations and autopsies, performed at the Konya Branch of Forensic Medicine Council (Turkey) between 2000 and 2007, were retrospectively investigated, and it was found that 18 (0.46%) of the bodies had been recovered from wells. The cases were evaluated in terms of their demographic features, manner of death (accidental, suicidal, or homicidal), autopsy findings, cause of death, and the characteristics of the wells in which they were found. The ages of the victims ranged from 4 to 74 years, and the average age was 40. 4 ± 20.6 years. Of total, 16 cases were males and 2 were females. The manner of death was determined to be accidental in 10 of the cases, suicide in 6 of the cases, and homicide in the remaining 2 cases. In 7 of the cases, death had occurred as a result of drowning in water. A comprehensive scene investigation and autopsy must be performed for corpses recovered from wells and pits for both identification and determination of the cause and manner of death. Wells should be covered and kept closed at all times to reduce the number of accidental deaths resulting from falls into wells.

Evaluation of shotgun suicides in Konya, Turkey between 2000 and 2007.

AbstractThe number of the suicides is increasing all around the world. In this study, the cases autopsied between 2000 and 2007 in The Konya Branch of Forensic Medicine Council were retrospectively investigated. Fifty-seven shotgun suicides were determined. The cases were evaluated in terms of their demographic characters, site of entrance wound, the type of the cartridge used, shooting distance, the place of incident, the place of death, motive for suicide, and the presence of previous suicide attempts. The most preferred site of entrance wound was the head with 34 cases (59.7%). Of 34 cases in which the entrance wound was on the head, there was indirect mandibular fracture in 16 cases (47.1%). In 11 cases (19.3%), there observed small ecchymosed abrasions on the finger surfaces, which are thought to have resulted from the trigger kicking back during triggering or the finger having been stuck between the trigger and the trigger guard. It is concluded that there is a need for a legal regulation that makes obtaining of shotguns more difficult and the people who have them are to be educated not to keep them in easily accessible places.

Konya İl ve İlçe Cezaevlerindeki Hükümlü ve Tutuklu Ölümleri

Bir kimsenin cezaevinde ya da polis gözetiminde ölmesi durumunda, devlete teslim edilmifl ve devletin sorumlulu¤undaki kiflilerin ölümünün kuflkuya yer vermeyecek aç›kl›kta tan›mlanmas› ve devlet sorumlulu¤unda herhangi bir aksama olup olmad›¤›n›n ayd›nlat›lmas› için olgunun dikkatli bir flekilde araflt›r›lmas› gerekir. Bu çal›flmada, 2001-2007 y›llar› aras›nda Konya il ve ilçelerindeki cezaevlerinde ölen ve otopsisi yap›lan hükümlü ve tutuklu olgular›; demografik özellikleri, cezaevinde bulunma nedenini oluflturan suçlar, ölümün meydana geldi¤i yer, cezaevinde kalma süresi, ölüm orijini ve ölüm nedeni yönünden de¤erlendirilmifltir. Bu amaçla Konya Adli T›p fiube Müdürlü¤ü’nün 2001-2007 y›llar› aras›ndaki ölü muayene ve otopsi tutanaklar› retrospektif olarak incelendi. Tümü erkek olan toplam 32 hükümlü ve tutuklu ölümü olgusunun yafllar› 25 ile 81 aras›nda olup, ortalama yafl 44.5±15.1 bulundu. Cezaevinde bulunma nedenini oluflturan suçlar aras›nda birinci s›ray› 11 (%34.4) olgu ile “kasten adam öldürmek” suçunun ald›¤› görüldü. Ölümler 12 (%37.5) olguda cezaevinde, 20 (%62.5) olguda hastanede gerçekleflmiflti. Olgular›n ölmeden önce cezaevinde kald›¤› süreler 1 gün ile 5 y›l aras›nda de¤iflmekte olup, ortalama kalma süresi 2.26 y›l bulundu. Olgular›n 25’inde (%78.1) ölümün do¤al nedenlerden meydana geldi¤i, do¤al nedenli ölümler içerisinde enfeksiyonlar›n 9 (%36.0) olgu ile ilk s›rada bulundu¤u belirlendi. Yaz›da herhangi bir suç/suç iddias› nedeniyle cezaevinde bulunan tutuklu ve hükümlülerin cezaevine giriflte ve sonras›nda yap›lacak periyodik muayeneleri ile tedavi gerektiren önemli bir hastal›¤› tespit edilen olgular›n, cezaevi yerine hastanelere yönlendirilmesinin uygun olaca¤› hususuna dikkat çekildi. Anahtar kelimeler: Hükümlü, tutuklu, cezaevi, ölüm

Konya’da Çocukluk Çağında Meydana Gelen Ateşli Silah Yaralanmasına Bağlı Ölümler

Sonuc olarak, kullan›m› giderek artan ateflli silahlar›n evler- de bulundurulmas› nedeniyle, bu silahlar›n cocukluk ca¤› olumlerine yol acabildii gorulmektedir. Halk›m›z›n; bulundu- ¤u ortamda cocuklar›n ateflli silahlara kolayca ulaflabilmeleri halinde, intihar veya kaza orijinli yaralanma ve olum olaylar›- n›n meydana gelebilecei, bu nedenle ev gibi yaflam alanlar›nda mumkun olduunca ateflli silah bulundurulmamas›, mutlaka bulunmas› gerekiyorsa cocuklar›n ulaflamayaca¤›, yuksek ko- numlarda veya salam kilit alt›na al›nm›fl alanlarda emniyetinin salanmas› gerektii konusunda eitilmesinin gerekli ve faydal› olduunu duflunuyoruz. Anahtar kelimeler: Cocuk, ateflli silah, olum, adli t›p SUMMARY In this study, it was aimed to examine the deaths related to the firearm injuries during childhood in Konya and the infor- mation such as demographic aspects of the cases, the types of the firearms, origin, and the region of injury, place of case, pla- ce of death, shooting distance, and the owner of the firearm. With this purpose, the cases which were autopsied by Kon- ya Branch of Forensic Medicine Council and by forensic medi- cine expert in the districts of Konya between 1999 and 2007 were retrospectively examined. Among 985 death cases at the age of 18 and under; 50 (5.1%) were determined to occur as