Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S Cordner.
Two cases are reported of young men who committed suicide using a nail gun. One shot himself through the heart and left lung. The other shot himself in the head. No cases of completed suicide by nail gun have previously been reported in the English literature. These cases are reported because of their uncommon nature and because they represent a potentially fatal use of a relatively common industrial implement.
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A case is presented of self-inflicted injuries alleged to have been sustained during an assault by police. A summary is given of the factors in this case differentiating between self-inflicted injuries and those due to an assault. The desirability of taking photographs of injuries in cases of alleged assault and the importance of keeping an open mind when assessing injuries are emphasised. The need for greater awareness in the medical and legal professions of the advantages of a forensic medical opinion in the assessment of injuries is mentioned.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was established in a climate of deep suspicion about the treatment of Aboriginal detainees in Australian prisons and police lock-ups. Three and a half years of exhaustive enquiry have resulted in a mammoth report which not only deals with the problems in the criminal justice system that contribute to these deaths but also discusses in detail the current state of Aboriginal society in Australia. It is the Commission's view that improvements in the lives of Aboriginal people will only occur if they are given the power to bring about those improvements themselves. The Commission's report inevitably has much to say about health matters. This review concentrates on these health matters as they affect Aboriginal people generally, and more specifically, after they arrive within the criminal justice system. The Commission's views about the medical aspects of the investigations of the deaths once they occurred are also summarised as are some of the issues which are at the root of why Aboriginal people are grossly over-represented in custody.