Department of Forensic Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwang-Ju, Korea. jtpark@jnu.ac.kr
The Research Institute of Forensic Science, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwang-Ju, Korea.
Chonnam National University Law School, Gwang-Ju, Korea.
Center for Biomedical Human Resources, Chonnam National University, Gwang-Ju, Korea.

The overall data associated with the causes and the manners of death of individuals are necessary to make policies for the public health or judicial system in the society. To obtain basic data of the causes and the manners of death, the 206 autopsy cases performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine of Chonnam National University Medical School in 2007 and 2008 were statistically analyzed according to the cause of death and the manner of death. The results are as follows ; 1. The total number of forensic-legal autopsy was 206 (139 males and 67 females). The number of the 5th decade (58 cases) and the 6th decade (54 cases) occupied over 50 percent (54.4%) of total cases. 2. Unnatural deaths were 127 cases (61.7%), and natural deaths were 79 cases (38.3%). Of 127 cases of unnatural deaths, suicides were 33 cases (26.0%), homicides were 46 cases (36.2%), accidental deaths were 37 cases (29.1%), and undetermined deaths were 11 cases (8.7%). 3. Among 79 natural deaths, deaths of cardiac origin were 46 cases (58.2%) and it was a leading cause of death in natural deaths. Deaths due to disease of vascular system were 10 cases (12.7%), deaths due to respiratory system were 8 cases (10.1%), deaths due to digestive system were 6 cases (7.6%), and other causes were 10 cases (12.4%). 4. Child deaths under the age of 10 were 8 cases (3.9%). Three cases were homicide, 3 cases were accident, and 2 cases were natural deaths.

Key words : statistical analysis, forensic-legal autopsy, cause of death, manner of death, Gwang-ju, Chonnam

Original article