As part of the 5th-semester syllabus and under the Memorandum of Understanding between our institution and Father Muller's, 17 final-year students, attended a session on Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at Father Muller Medical College on 13th September 2024 at 2:30 PM. The session was conducted by Dr. Hareesh Gowda, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, and Ms. Clarita Marina D’Souza, Toxicology Laboratory Technician, Father Muller Medical College.
Dr. Hareesh began by providing a brief overview of the history of toxicology laboratories. He explained the evolution of the Poison Information Service, later named the Poison Information Centre, which checks blood, urine, and stomach contents for toxic substances. The first Poison Information Service was established in London at Guy's Hospital, where it provided guidance to doctors, particularly in rural areas, on how to identify and diagnose poisons. Over time, the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory was integrated into these services, following WHO guidelines, which officially recognized the laboratories.
He further highlighted that the first Poison Information Centre in India was established at AIIMS, New Delhi, and mentioned that there are now four such centres across India. Father Muller Medical College itself also operates a Poison Detection Centre, further contributing to toxicological studies and poison identification.
After Dr. Hareesh's insightful presentation, Ms. Clarita Marina D’Souza guided us through a practical session in the Toxicology Laboratory at Father Muller Medical College. This part of the session was particularly engaging as we got to observe real-time demonstrations of the following key toxicological tests and explore the laboratory’s equipment.
- Colour Test (Paraquat): A quick test to detect the presence of the herbicide paraquat.
- Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC): A method used to separate and identify compounds in samples, essential for poison detection.
The tour of the toxicology lab also involved Ms. Clarita showing us the various sophisticated equipment used in poison detection. These included:
- Distillation Tank: Utilized for separating substances based on their boiling points, often used in the preparation of samples for analysis.
- UV Chamber: Essential for detecting substances that fluoresce under ultraviolet light, which can indicate the presence of specific toxins or drugs.
- Fume Cupboard: A ventilated enclosure used to safely handle toxic chemicals or volatile substances during experiments.
- Water Bath: Used to maintain the temperature of samples during reactions.
- Hot Air Oven: Used to dry glassware or sterilize materials by applying heat.
- Centrifuge: A machine that spins samples to separate components by density, such as blood cells from plasma or toxins from samples.
The session effectively combined theory and practice, with Dr. Hareesh’s overview of toxicology and Ms. Clarita’s demonstrations enhancing our understanding of poison detection. The exposure to advanced testing methods and equipment deepened our appreciation of forensic toxicology, providing valuable insights for our future studies.
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