Original Article
Demirci, Serafettin MD*; Dogan, Kamil Hakan MD*; Erkol, Zerrin MD†; Deniz, Idris MD*
From the *Department of Forensic Medicine, Meram Medical School, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey; and the †Department of Forensic Medicine, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey.
Manuscript received July 20, 2007; accepted July 25, 2007.
All figures can be viewed in color online at http://www.amjforensicmedicine.com.
Reprints: Serafettin Demirci, MD, Department of Forensic Medicine, Meram Medical School, Selcuk University, 42080 Meram, Konya, Turkey. E-mail: [emailprotected].
The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology 29(4):p 330-333, December 2008. | DOI: 10.1097/PAF.0b013e318187df30
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Abstract
In the Islamic context, “fitrah” refers to humanity's innate disposition toward virtue and the ability to differentiate between right and wrong. A common quote regarding fitrah, from the Prophet is “The fitrah consists of 5 things: circumcision, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and shaving the pubic hairs.”
In this study, our aim was to determine the status of axillary and pubic shaving in medicolegal death cases that took place in the Konya Province of Turkey and to evaluate the relationship with the origin of suicide. Of 2850 medicolegal death cases, 206 (7.2%) were of suicidal origin. It was observed that the average age in the cases of suicidal origin was 36.76 ± 17.72 years, and 146 of 206 cases (70.9%) were men. As a method of suicide, hanging was the chosen method in 100 cases (48.5%), whereas firearm injuries occurred in 54 cases (26.2%), and intoxication was involved in 37 cases (18.0%). Daily axillary and pubic shaving was observed in 26 of 2644 (1.0%) death cases that occurred with nonsuicidal reasons, but in 65 of 206 were (31.6%) suicidal cases. Because suicidal notes were present in 25 (12.1%) of all of the suicidal cases, the ratio of daily axillary and pubic shaving was significantly higher than that of the suicidal notes.
In investigating the cases of suicidal origin for medicolegal purposes, evidence showing that this action was committed by the victim, the presence of a suicide note at the death scene and, a history of a previous suicidal attempt, it was thought that the presence of daily axillary and pubic shaving on external examination of the victim's body, when of Muslim faith, could also be considered a feature of suicide.
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