Publication

Abstract : Burns are the lesions produced usually by heat. The incidence of fatal burns in different autopsy series varies from 6% - 23%. In our country the incidence are quite high among young individual specially the females due to various social factors. The dying declaration given by the victims of burns is usually the key evidence in the court of law. Medical officers and autopsy surgeons are invariably asked to give opinion about the ability to speech of the deceased suffering from burns, effect of painkiller etc. A pilot study on 21 cases of burns in a tertiary care teaching medical institution of east Delhi was conducted to answer these important questions about burns and dying declaration showed that the extent of burns as well as pain killer medicines do not have significant effect on speech of the patient. Usually the speech and orientation is maintained. However, electrical burns and alcohol consumption affect the orientation and speech. Females can tolerate burns better than males.