The contribution of N.I. Pirogov to the development of forensic medicine (on the occasion of his 200th birthday anniversary)

The main facets of professor N.I. Pirogov's professional activity are outlined. Forensic medicine (in the first place its organizational and practical aspects) was an integral component of his scientific and clinical work, along with applied anatomy and surgery. Landmark publications of N.I. Pirogov are listed with special reference to those concerned with forensic medical expertise of medical malpractice cases, postmortem inspection and intravital examination procedures, wound ballistics studies, the atlas of forensic pathology, etc. The surgeon and anatomist N.I. Pirogov can be justly regarded as a founder of forensic medicine in this country.     

Estimation of ethanol concentrations in biological media. Comparison of alkylnitrite and direct vapor-phase methods

Ethanol assays in the blood, saliva and urine were made according to two methods: alkylnitrite gas-liquid chromatography and direct vapor-phase method without thermostating. N-propanol was used as an internal standard. For saliva and urine the methods produced similar results. For blood, the direct vapor-phase method detected significantly lower level of ethanol compared to alkylnitrite one (p = 0.001). 24-h storage of the samples in refrigerator does not deviate the results. Recommendations are provided for most effective usage of each method.     

The blast injury as a result of underwater explosion

Experiments on pigs were made for determination of safe distance to blast center for a diver using the isolating breathing apparatus IDA-71U and aqualung AVM-5. The animals were placed at the distance 12, 9, 7 and 5 m from the blast center. After the explosion, basic physiological parameters and severity of traumas were monitored. Differences in morphological characteristics of the damage done on the earth and under water were identified. Safe distance was 12 m.