Study of fatal burns cases in Kanpur (India)

Epidemiological and medicolegal, including forensic pathological, aspects of 180 cases of fatal burns were studied in Kanpur (India) during the period of one year (October 1985 to September 1986). These constituted 10.79% of the total medicolegal deaths autopsied. Majority of the victims were young Hindu housewives burnt within 5 years of their marriage. The most common source of fire was cooking apparatus like chulha, coalfire, stove or cooking gas. In a substantial number of cases, kerosene oil was poured over the victims and fired with a match stick. About half of the burn cases were accidental, in which cooking on open unguarded flames and loose highly inflammable synthetic sarees of the victims can be blamed. Among the others who died in suspicious circumstances, i.e., burnt alive or forced to commit suicide by fire, dowry and family quarrels and marital disharmony were the two important predisposing factors. Illiteracy, arranged and child marriages, joint family structure, oedipal dominance of mother-in-laws, unemployment and economic dependence of the husband on the parents, near complete dependence of women on their husbands and inlaws, and lack of social security amongst Hindu females were other contributory factors affecting the incidence in some way. Male burn deaths were few and usually accidental.     

Penile strangulation: report of a fatal case

Penile strangulation or entrapment is an unusual entity that requires urgent treatment due to its potential complications. Several cases have been reported in the medical literature, some of them describing serious injuries such as necrosis, gangrene, and amputation of the penis. However, as far as we know, no fatal cases have been described before. We present the death of an adult male secondary to the complications due to penile strangulation with a plastic bottle neck. The time of incarceration was unknown, but according to a witness it could be about 10 to 14 days. The findings of autopsy were penile strangulation, necrosis of the penis, acute pyelonephritis, and bronchopneumonia. The subject's refusal to ask for medical help was the cause of this atypical evolution.     

Adam (MDMA) and Eve (MDEA) misuse: an immunohistochemical study on three fatal cases.

Three fatal cases of MDMA/MDEA misuse have been examined. These referred to white males between 19 and 20 years of age, in which post-mortem toxicology showed the presence of MDMA (in one case), MDEA (in one case) and both (in one case). The clinical data were analysed and the histopathological findings were studied following immunohistochemical investigations. A complete immunohistochemical study has made it possible to demonstrate rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria with alterations of the organs typical of a DIC. Clinical, histopathological and toxicological data suggest that severe or fatal complications following ecstasy ingestion could be related to idiosyncratic response.     

A variant of incaprettamento (ritual ligature strangulation) in East Timor

Incaprettamento is a ritualized form of ligature strangulation often associated with the Italian Mafia. The hallmarks include ligature strangulation and binding of the body in a highly stereotyped fashion. The bindings include tying the wrists and ankles together, with the body in the prone position (similar to "hogtying"), and an additional ligature encircling the neck and attached to the bindings of the extremities. The binding of the body may be performed after death is inflicted by ligature strangulation, or it may be associated with self-strangulation, as shown by the arrangement of ligatures and the position of the body. A case with great similarities to incaprettamento, in which the body was exhumed from a grave in East Timor, is described in detail. However, in addition to prone-position binding and a hyoid fracture, chopping wounds of a knee and blunt trauma to the posterior torso were found. The implication of these wounds is discussed in relation to incaprettamento.     

152例高坠死亡案件回顾性分析

目的对于高坠死亡案例进行回顾性调查分析,为相关研究和鉴定提供参考。方法收集2011年至2014年间,武汉市汉阳区范围内公安部门受理的所有高坠案件,共152例,对案件性质、高坠地点特征、死者年龄、性别、损伤情况等项目进行统计分析。结果 152例高坠死亡案件中自杀118例、意外28例,6例性质未能确定;高坠案件无论性质为何,发生地点均以居民住宅区最多;女性在自杀中占比略高,且年龄偏大(50岁),而意外高坠中全部为男性;损伤在两类性质的案件中均以头部和四肢为最多;自杀案件中有四分之一左右的死者有精神疾病史。结论国内高坠案件随着社会生活的发展有其独特的特征,而对高坠的尸体检验需要更加仔细和全面。     

Delayed death following strangulation (hanging)

6 cases of suicide by hanging with delayed death are presented in tables laying out the circumstances and the findings. All the persons involved remained continuously unconscious after initially successful reanimation; two were at this time already dead. The survival times lay between 18 hours and 4 days. In two cases intravital vertebral death occurred. In the other cases death was due indirectly to hypoxial brain-damage which had led to a greater or lesser extent to elective parenchymal necrosis. In 3 of 4 histologically investigated cases there was evidence of extensive cell destruction in the PCA muscle which was, however, not specifically related to the process of hanging since lesions of this nature also occur with other cases of delayed death after reanimation. In 7th case the problems encountered in compiling an expert opinion are discussed in cases where there are no corresponding procedural details. A 44 year old man died 3 weeks after having been submitted to bondage in a brothel at his own request (including binding of the neck). Compression of the throat with emphasis on one side was evident resulting in extensive ganglial cell damage in one half of the cerebral cortex.     

A triad of laryngeal hemorrhages in strangulation: a report of eight cases

The results of histological studies on larynges from eight cases of manual strangulation, all that had intracartilaginous laryngeal hemorrhages, a recently described and under-recognized lesion associated with strangulation, are reported. Formalin-fixed larynges were examined in serial section using a standardized protocol. In all cases, intracartilaginous laryngeal hemorrhages were associated with subepithelial laryngeal hemorrhages, and intralaryngeal muscular hemorrhages forming a "triad of hemorrhages." In five cases, the triad was found in the presence of laryngeal cartilage microfractures. Since cartilage microfractures can be causally related to mechanical injury to the neck, it is likely that the triad of hemorrhages has diagnostic value as an independent morphological criterion for the postmortem diagnosis of strangulation. Since a proportion of cases of strangulation lack characteristics that are self-evidently due to violent application of pressure on the neck, recognition of the triad may have important implications for the postmortem diagnosis of strangulation.     

Transfer of biological traces in cases of hanging and ligature strangulation

In hanging and ligature strangulation, the noose mostly causes a mark or groove which is formed partly by compression of the skin and partly by abrasion with loss of the upper epidermal layers. The horny scales abraded from the neck may be transferred to the strangulation device or to the interposed textiles where they are sometimes visible at stereomicroscopic examination or even to the naked eye as silver-grey particles. The morphologic features of the epidermal transfer due to hanging and ligature strangulation is demonstrated by 14 case examples. The biological traces may be sufficient for comparative DNA typing by means of PCR-based methods. In 9 out of the 14 cases, genomic DNA typing was successful. Analysis of mtDNA succeeded in another two cases, although genomic DNA could not be detected. Beside the accumulation of solid epidermic particles the paper describes deposition of serous and fatty tissue fluid at the ligature (mainly adjacent to skin ridges).     

Injuries in fatal cases of falls downstairs

Downstairs falls frequently occur within domestic environments and are mainly associated with elderly and intoxicated individuals, often feature multiple injuries on various parts of the body. In most cases it is not possible to determine the cause of the fall and/or death solely by means of external examination. In this retrospective study, which covers a period of 11 years, all cases of death which included a fall downstairs in their case history, were collected from the Forensic Institutes of the Universities of Bonn and Greifswald, Germany. Falls downstairs made up to 2% (166 cases) of all postmortem examinations carried out within this period. Interestingly, almost double of the amount of such falls applied to males as to females. The primary cause of death was cranio-cerebral trauma and the vast majority of skull injuries associated with falls downstairs were found above 'the hat brim line'. Injuries were also often found on several other parts of the body at once. Nineteen of the 116 examined individuals exhibited agonal injuries. In these cases, postmortem examination revealed pre-existing disease or intoxication to be the cause of death and thus, cause of the fall. The injury pattern only allows a tendency towards vital or agonal incident as a conclusion.     

胸部刺创与交通意外同为致死伤1例

某年冬某夜 11时许 ,某县公安局接报称 :城东公路上一人被汽车压死。尸检情况 :尸长 16 7ｃｍ ,发育正常 ,营养一般。死者双睑紧闭 ,右眼睑及眼球挫伤 ,左眼角膜混沌 ,球睑结膜苍白 ,唇及口腔粘膜苍白。右额部有 5ｃｍ× 5ｃｍ头皮撕裂 ,创口哚开。右颧部有 5ｃｍ× 4.5ｃｍ的擦伤 ,呈暗褐色。解剖 :颅骨未见骨折。前胸第 4肋间处有 2ｃｍ长创口 ,创口明显哆开 ,深达胸腔 ,创缘整齐 ,创角较锐。右锁骨第 1,2肋在锁骨中线处骨折 ,其余肋骨自腋中线处骨折 ,断端有出血。腹部有 2 5ｃｍ× 8ｃｍ擦伤 ,呈暗褐色。胸腔内有大量积血 ,心包前区有 1…     

胸部刺创与交通意外同为致死伤1例

某年冬某夜11时许,某县公安局接报称:城东公路上一人被汽车压死.尸检情况:尸长167c m,发育正常,营养一般.死者双睑紧闭,右眼睑及眼球挫伤,左眼角膜混沌,球睑结膜苍白,唇及口腔粘膜苍白.右额部有5cm×5cm头皮撕裂,创口哚开.右颧部有5cm×4.5cm 的擦伤,呈暗褐色.解剖:颅骨未见骨折.前胸第4肋间处有2cm长创口,创口明显哆开,深达胸腔,创缘整齐,创角较锐.右锁骨第1,2肋在锁骨中线处骨折,其余肋骨自腋中线处骨折 ,断端有出血.腹部有25cm×8cm擦伤,呈暗褐色.胸腔内有大量积血,心包前区有1cm长破口,内有积血,右肺挫伤撕裂,右心室壁有1cm长创口,未达心室.腹腔内有少量积血,肝脏碎裂,肠管多处挫伤.左大腿内侧、右大腿前侧分别有1.5cm、1.3cm刺创,均深达肌层. 四肢、躯干有多处片状擦伤,呈暗褐色.     

Two fatal cases of selenium toxicity

Two patients, a 36-year-old female and a 36-year-old male, separately experienced new onset nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, muscle weakness and pallor. Over a period of 14-16 h these symptoms continue and progress to include hypotension refractory to therapy, pulmonary edema and cardiovascular collapse. Autopsies show hemorrhagic pulmonary edema, splenomegaly and lack of anatomical cause for sudden death. Postmortem analysis, in one case post-embalming and exhumation, revealed elevated selenium concentrations and a determination of the cause of death. These two cases present several important features associated with selenium toxicity, two of which are previously unreported: (1) selenium as a potential homicidal agent, (2) the toxidrome and time frame of selenium toxicity, (3) selenium determination in exhumed, embalmed tissues, (4) postmortem urinary selenium concentration, and (5) decrease in tissue concentrations over time.     

A fatal case of sulindac-induced Lyell syndrome (toxic epidermal necrolysis)

A 37-year-old woman died after 18 days from her starting to take sulindac for low back pain. Based on her clinical course and the autopsy findings, the cause of her death was Lyell syndrome (toxic epidermal necrolysis) induced by sulindac. This case is described together with the legal aspects of medical malpractice to which it gave rise.     

Drug levels found in cases of fatal self-poisoning

A list of drug levels found in cases of fatal self-poisoning is presented here. These are all cases where only one drug was found and the cause of death in each case was attributed to an overdose of that particular drug. For each case a full drug screen was carried out. In general thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was used as the initial screening technique and any positive findings were then confirmed by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When the drug had been positively identified, the blood level was measured.     

Comparison of handmarks in manual strangulation: an experimental study

A police case with a strangulated woman with fingermarks on the neck and two suspects identifying each other as the perpetrator set off a laboratory experiment. Twenty-one males participated in the study. Blue paint was applied to their fingers, after which they grasped a neck dummy and pressed hard as if strangulating someone. The imprint was removed from the dummy, and their hands were photographed. Five imprints were randomly chosen and superimposed on the hand photographs in blind trials. In no cases did we match an imprint to the correct hand. However, in four cases we matched the imprint with several hands, one of which was the correct one. This means we were able to exclude nonmatches in 4/5 cases. Overall, matching of hands and fingermarks is difficult and inconclusive. Objective criteria for matching are difficult to establish, and matching is probably best suited for cases with specific anatomical features.     

Histological examination of carotid artery tissue in cases of ligature strangulation and hanging

Violence against the neck can result in a range of macromorphological and micromorphological findings. However, the forensic relevance of the carotid sinus in cases of violence against the neck remains controversial. In this follow-up study of 22 cases of suicidal and accidental strangulations, carotid bifurcations were examined histologically for morphological changes implying direct trauma, including haemorrhage and immunohistochemical expression of heat-shock proteins 27, 60, and 70 and aquaporin-3. These cases were compared with a control group (82 cases) without neck compression or head trauma and with variable causes of death. No relevant histopathological findings implying direct trauma of the carotid bifurcation were found. No cases showed positive aquaporin-3 staining and only five cases showed positive heat-shock protein-27 staining, all of which were hangings. Without massive trauma of the carotid bifurcation, histological alterations cannot be expected. Without signs of rapid death, findings of acute circulatory failure, macromorphological and micromorphological findings of neck compression, and reliable markers indicating relevant impact on the carotid bifurcation the diagnosis of a lethal reflex cannot be verified.

Key points

• Among 22 cases of strangulation causing death, there were 16 cases of hanging and 6 cases of ligature strangulation
• Few cases showed small haemorrhages located predominantly in the surrounding fat and connective tissues; however, the haemorrhages did not have any effects on the tissues
• Neck compression had minimal effects on heat shock protein 27 expression in carotid artery tissue
• Aquaporin-3 staining suggested it is not a useful marker for relevant neck pressure, or that there had not been any relevant neck impact
• Our findings suggested no direct evidence for reflex cardiac death resulting from a brief force against the neck

     

Cyanide poisoning: forensic toxicology observations in the study of 54 cases of fatal poisoning

The present study describes various observations made during the examination of 54 cases of lethal cyanide intoxication at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the University of Zürich during a period of more than 40 years. Data pertain to the scene of death, the medicolegal inspection, the autopsy, the histological examinations, the chemical analyses, the various types of poisoning observed and the diagnostic criteria used. The intoxicated victims were mostly adults who had professional access to various cyanogenic compounds and had ingested them with the intention of committing suicide. Cases of accidental and criminal poisoning were rare. In spite of this fact, and although its frequency has not increased in the last few decades, cyanide poisoning has maintained undiminished importance.