Knocking on death's door

The Institute of Forensic Medicine investigates the causes of strange, bloodcurdling and sad deaths. Located at Rigshospitalet, the conclusion of the autopsies helps to inform further litigation and give closure to cases

by Gry Bartroff Gaihede, Claus Baggersgaard, English version by Afton Halloran, Elisabeth Ginsberg

Hidden far away from the entrance door to the national university hospital Rigshospitalet, is the Institute of Forensic Medicine. Investigating gruesome, horrific, and prolonged deaths, the Institute plays a role in determining the cause of murders and a host of other cases, such as people who have died from work-related illness, accident victims, drug addicts and alcoholics. Overall, the Institute conducts approximately 650 autopsies annually.

Guided through a labyrinth of laboratories, reporters from our sister newspaper, the Universitetsavisen, took a look into the dark world of forensics. Their guide was the experienced coroner, Hans Petter Hougen. Investigating sudden, unexpected deaths from crime scenes is just one side of his professional career. Hougen also used his expertise to identify tsunami victims in Thailand, autopsy civilians in Kosovo killed by Serbs and has taught and lectured on forensic medicine's role in torture documentation all over the world.

»We have the same neutral and objective approach to all forensic investigations: the notorious star psychopath of a violent felon being treated just as professionally as a child, who has been sexually molested by her stepfather. I usually say to students that they must remember that at the other end, a lawyer with no sense of humour sits with a sharpened pencil. Our analysis must be absolutely sober,« he says.

Click here to see behind the closed doors of the Institute of Forensic Medicine in our photo story

afton.halloran@adm.ku.dk

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