Introduction to the School of Medicine:

After the Shroud was photographed for the first time in 1898 and its now famous negative image was discovered, the first to examine the Shroud from a scientific standpoint were medical doctors. They were well versed in human anatomy, the circulatory system and how blood flows would occur with different kinds of wounds. They were versed in the various causes of death and how blood may flow before and after death. They were familiar with how the body may swell or inflame due to certain injuries and how the body would undergo rigor mortis after death. All these things enter into the study of the Shroud from the standpoint of medical forensics. Every medical doctor, forensic pathologist or coroner who has analyzed the Shroud closely comes to the same conclusion; it appears to be the image of a real human being who died from the wounds seen on the image.

Questions and Topics for Students Students may consider writing a description of crucifixion as seen on the Shroud. Consider doing an evaluation of the bloodstains and whether they flowed before or after death and whether the blood emanated from a vein or an artery. What is the cause of death? What happens to a body after death? How long before putrefaction sets in? How long before it skin begins to decay? The significance is that if the man on the Shroud was dead, how come there are no stains of decay? Does this corroborate the biblical story of Christ’s physical resurrection? Consider doing a comparison with the Gospel account of everything that happened to Jesus with what is seen on the Shroud. Are there any inconsistencies? Be sure to look at the School of Textiles to see if the Shroud could be Jewish.

Featured Content
	Shroud Report Interview with Dr. Gilbert Lavioe
	Forensic analysis: Dr. Fred Zugibe and Barrie Schwortz as seen on Fox News
	Dr. Fred Zugibe from First Science TV
	Articles

LINKS TO RELEVANT ARTICLES ON THE WEB:

Medical Forensics Summary by Russ Breault

A forensic pathology primer. From Shroudstory.com

An Autopsy on the Man of the Shroud by Robert Bucklin, M.D., J.D. From Shroud.com

The Legal and Medical Aspects of the Trial and Death of Christ by Robert Bucklin, M.D., J.D. From Shroud.com

The Body was Washed. One of the persistent conflicts among Shroud researchers is whether or not the man on the shroud was washed in accordance with Jewish tradition. Forensic pathologist and former coroner Dr. Fred Zugibe makes the case for the body having been washed. From Shroud.com

Pierre Barbet Revisited Doctors disagree on the cause of death, nail wound in the hands and the washing of the body, by Frederick T. Zugibe, M.D., Ph.D. From Shroud.com

Blood on the Shroud of Turin by Dan Porter. From Shroudstory.com

Experimental Studies in Crucifixion by Frederick T. Zugibe, M.D., Ph.D.
http://www.e-forensicmedicine.net/Texas.htm

Forensic and Clinical Knowledge of the Practice of Crucifixion by Frederick T. Zugibe, M.D., Ph.D.

The Shroud of Turin’s “Blood” Images: Blood or Paint? A History of Scientific Inquiry by David Ford. From Shroud.com

Nuclear Medical Imaging as tool to help unravel the mystery of the Shroud image by Dr. Gus Accetta. From Shroud.com