Forensic medicine in early republican Turkiye: An archival analysis of institutional and medico-legal practices.

This study aims to examine the development and functioning of forensic medicine in early Republican Turkiye through the analysis of original archival documents. It is a qualitative research based on document analysis. The data consisted of 38 archival documents identified through a systematic search conducted in the Republic Archive Catalogue of the Directorate of State Archives of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkiye. The documents, dated between March 28, 1925, and August 11, 1949, were analyzed within a chronological and thematic framework. The findings demonstrate that forensic medicine in early Republican Turkiye evolved into an institutionalized medico-legal system integrated into the administrative and judicial structure of the state. The documents reveal the establishment of administrative positions, legislative and regulatory efforts, and the development of specialized roles within the institution. Forensic medical reports were actively used in judicial decision-making, particularly in cases involving sentence remission and pardon. In addition, the records indicate that forensic medicine institutions functioned as operational units requiring continuous logistical support. The findings also highlight the importance of experienced personnel, the presence of international professional mobility, and the interaction between forensic medicine and political processes in certain cases. This study provides an empirically grounded understanding of the historical development of forensic medicine in Turkiye by utilizing primary archival sources. It demonstrates that forensic medicine functioned as a dynamic system shaped by institutional, legal, operational, and sociopolitical factors, thereby contributing to the existing literature beyond descriptive historical accounts.