Forensic Science : Forensic Pathology Essay

886 Words Nov 18th, 2016 4 Pages
Death is an inevitable part of life. Even so, many humans fear death, and would prefer to "leave this world" with peace of mind. However, the reality of it all is that, anything can happen. Each year, tens of thousands of people die from what we call unclear deaths, such as suicide or homicide. Over the years we have developed a science dedicated to figuring out the cause of death, which we refer to as forensic science. There are many disciplines, which make up forensic science, each covering different aspects of the crime solving process. One of the practice, which is considered essential to forensic science is forensic pathology. This discipline involves determining cause of death by examining the body. However, what we know as forensic pathology today was quite different when it was first practiced. It is believed that forensic pathology first started to develop into what it is today, in the fourth century BC. There are a few exceptions that prove autopsies had been performed on rare occasions before this time. However, during this time period autopsies were strictly forbidden and an autopsy performed on a human being was considered a serious crime. Only autopsies performed on animals were considered acceptable. They believed the body to be something sacred and should be taken care of with utter respect. Additionally, they believed that if the body was cut, for anything other than ritual purpose, that person would not have an afterlife. According to the article…

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