Disarticulated, incomplete skeletal remains of uncertain population affinity are recovered. Long bone regression equations cannot be applied reliably. Which method of stature reconstruction is MOST appropriate?
- A Fully's anatomical method, summing the vertical measurements of skull, vertebrae, sacrum, long bones and ankle bones with a soft tissue correction ✓
- B Trotter and Gleser equations derived from a different population
- C Pearson's regression formula applied to the femur alone
- D Estimating stature from the span between fingertip to fingertip assumed equal to height
Correct answer: A. Fully's anatomical method, summing the vertical measurements of skull, vertebrae, sacrum, long bones and ankle bones with a soft tissue correction
Explanation
Fully's anatomical method reconstructs living stature by adding measured vertical heights of the skull, individual vertebral bodies, sacrum, femur, tibia and talus, then applying a soft tissue correction. It requires no population specific regression coefficient, making it the method of choice when ancestry is uncertain or bones are disarticulated. Pearson and Trotter equations depend heavily on correct population matching, which is precisely what cannot be assumed here.
Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 9th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.