Child abuse with fatal sequelae in an Essen autopsy sample]

In the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Essen/Germany 24 cases of lethal child battering or neglect have been observed over 17 years from 1973 to 1989. The medicolegal and morphologic findings in these cases are presented and compared to the literature. The patterns of abuse/neglect in Essen compare to those frequently reported in the literature: skull/brain traumas caused by blunt impact, multiple hematomas, bone fractures, and symptoms of malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, and general neglect. In many cases the abuse could be shown to have been chronic. In the seven years 1983-1989 the cases of lethal child mistreatment and neglect amounted to 0.18 percent of all autopsies. Five cases of lethal sexual assault in children during the same period are compared to the mistreated cases.     

Lethal mixed intoxication with propofol in a medical layman

The authors report on a drug fatality of a 21-year-old man with a propofol (2,6-di-isopropylphenol) dependency. Propofol was detected in tissues and body fluids using SPME-GC/MS methods. The postmortem concentrations of propofol were 364 ng/ml in urine, 71 ng/ml in heart blood and 79 ng/ml in femoral blood. The drug addict had only an autodidactic medical knowledge, but had inserted himself a permanent cannula for intravenous injection of propofol several times a day. The injection material was bought via online auctions from eBay. The case illustrates how job-related drug dependencies become indistinct due to the free access to information and goods via the Internet.     

Atypical "body packing syndrome"--a case report

A case of ingested cocaine is reported in which death must be classified as body packer syndrome although both the temporal relationship and the number of packets were atypical. The deceased, a consumer of hard drugs who smuggled for his own use, was found in his flat. He was resuscitated and survived for another four days in hospital. Only four intact drug packages were found in the upper gastro-intestinal tract. The concentrations of cocaine in blood and organs were relatively low but in a potentially lethal range. The case is presented, and its particularities as well as the option of induced vomiting as a way of preventing the fatal outcome are discussed.     

Interdisciplinary cooperation of forensic sciences--results of a simulation exercise

In a workshop held on the occasion of the foundation of the INFW, the Interdisciplinary Network of Forensic Sciences (www.infw.org), 14 scientists from 10 fields of expertise were allotted to 3 teams. Each team had to independently solve the same fictitious forensic case. In this, several corpses or skeletons in varying degrees of decomposition were found in the remains of an old bunker during a large building project. After a set time limit of 45 minutes, the approaches to the task were noted on individual flipcharts by each team. A comparison of the solutions suggested by the three very heterogeneously composed teams revealed a high degree of similarity. However, particularly the "exotic" disciplines developed surprising approaches. The experiment was an interesting and instructive experience for all participants and underscores the necessity of interdisciplinary cooperation in solving complex forensic questions.