Study for Estimation of Stature from Foot Length in Medico Legal Autopsies based
Abstract
The present study are conducted on 100 dead bodies of (males and females) aged between20 and 60 years. The correlation coefficient calculated in males for the stature and right foot length (0.779) and left foot length (0.778); and the right foot length (0.653) and left foot length (0.638) in females were significant at 0.01 level. Males had significantly higher mean values for both stature and foot length compared to females. Regression equations were derived from right and left foot length for estimating stature in males and females. Stature (Y) could be calculated from the right foot length (X1) in males with the equation Y= 53.050 + 4.802 X1. For the left foot length (X2) in males, the equation was Y = 53.618 + 4.7762 X2. In females, the equations were Y = 78.538 + 3.597 X1 & Y = 78.724 + 3.601 X2 respectively.
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Introduction
An important role of forensic anthropologists is their contribution for identification of individuals.1 Stature and gender are primary attributes of biological profiling utilized for identification in medico legal cases from pool of potential matches. In mass disaster cases such as warfare, aircraft crashes, and explosions, body parts and extremities are the only remnants recovered.2,3 Feet dimensions have been often utilized for prediction of stature and gender and their relationships have been established in various studies.4,5 Studies have shown that the foot can be reliably utilized to predict the stature and sex of an individual with reasonable accuracy. Among the various dimensions of foot, foot length is considered to be a better predictor of stature and sex.6 However, the regression equations for estimating stature and sectional points for identifying sex are considered to be population specific.7 Due to strong influence of genetic and environmental factors on the height of the individual, homogeneity of the study population is vital in formulating the regression equations.8 Although stature and sex studies have been conducted in various populations including Central India, but most of these studies are on ethnically mixed groups.9,10 Hence, the present study was planned to create a baseline data for ethnically identical group of residents of Central India for two generations.
Establishing the identity of a person is a major concern in Forensic medicine and Forensic Anthropology. Identity means the determination of individuality of a person11. The primary characteristics of identity are those of sex, age and stature and they may at once serve to disprove a supposed identity. Recovering of unknown bodies either in full or in part, as remnants or fragments or bodies in charred or putrefied state is a day to day affair in medico-legal practice.
Stature of an individual is an inherent characteristic, the estimate of which is considered to be an important assessment in the identification of unknown human remains. Most of the body parts bear a more or less constant relationship with stature.