The establishment and practice of forensic medicine in Iraq

The development of a legal curriculum in Iraq included the subject of forensic medicine. In 1972 the College of Medicine in Baghdad included teaching in forensic medicine, and this has continued as the six current medical schools were established in the country. A central Medical Laboratory was established in 1918 and in 1919 a medicolegal department was included. An autopsy service was added to this department in 1920. After several changes the current activities are under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior. Professor A. I. Kayssi was the first active practitioner of forensic medicine in Iraq and he has been succeeded by Dr. W. M. Ali, who was a student and colleague. Each Province of Iraq has Medicolegal Centers whose Directors confer with the Central Institute of Baghdad. This Institute has responsibility for investigation of deaths and the examination of the living involved in sexual attacks or identification problems. The autopsy rate is 2784 per year in this institute. Iraq has 10.5 million people in an area smaller than the state of Texas. Baghdad, the largest city has less than 2 million.