Post mortem determination of bromureides (author's transl)]

Concentrations of carbromal, carbromide and bromisoval are determined in blood, urine, brain, kidney and muscle taken at autopsy from 41 fatal cases after overdosage of bromureides. In addition values of total bromine in blood are presented. Contents of total bromine can only lead to the deduction that a chronical abuse of bromureides is existent or not. Concentrations of bromureides and carbromide show a wide range according to the different time between taking the drug and death particularly in cases of pure carbromal intoxications which sometimes cause death after several days. In such cases quantitative determination of carbromide, a pharmacologically active metabolite of carbromal, is the only way to prove an acute carbromal intoxication. Especially in cases of additional foreign substances death may occur in early the phase of poisoning. Bromureides decompose post mortem by putrefaction a high degree so that the condition of the cadaver is important. Brain tissue is the most usable material for examination but other organs, particularly muscle and kidney, can be analysed with success. For differential diagnosis fatal cases are presented which were not caused by drug intake.     

Survival time, capacity of action and radiological diagnosis after gunshot wounds of the cranium (author's transl)]

Three cases of suicidal temporal gunshots. Different circumstances in the clinical course and in the ability of action.--In one case there was a bullet tract in the lower temporal region with considerable destruction of the base of the skull, followed by immediate inability of action and early death. Another case with a transtemporal gunshot without radiological signs of a laceration of the base of skull showed severe disturbance of cerebral functions for some days and remaining blindness. In the third case there was a pistol shot in the temporal region with retained missile, full ability of acting and undisturbed consciousness. Causative for the differences in the effect of the gunshots are differences of weapons and amunition and the anatomical position of the wound track in the temporal region. Discussion about the role of concussion of the brain by different rate of transgression of energy from the missile to the skull. Reference to the importance of X-ray analysis and to a radiographic documentation of the findings in such cases.     

An improved method for the determination of Y chromosomes in blood stains (author's transl)]

A new filter combination for fluorescence microscopy using SWP 440 interfernece filter for excitation and GG 455 as the barrier filter is described. In blind trials examining blood smears of 5 male persons and by examination of 3 weeks old blood stains a better Y chromosome demonstration has been obtained using this new technique in comparison with the "usual" filter combination: BG 12-530. In blind trials of up to 6 weeks old blood stains of one male and one female a reliable sex determination was made using the new technique.     

Forensic aspects of digoxin-poisoning: toxicological and morphological findings (author's transl)]

Case report. A 82 year old woman died 80 min after accidental ingestion of 5 mg beta-methyl-digoxin. The autopsy and the histological examination revealed non-specific alterations due to shock and preexisting coronary heart disease. Digoxin levels in various fluids and tissues were estimated by radioimmunoassay: bloodplasma 20--25 ng/ml, liquor 10--13 ng/ml, liver 100--110 ng/g, kidney 130--145 ng/g; the gastric fluid contained 0,6 mg. Forensic aspects of glycosid-intoxication, especially of the varying concentrations in different tissues, are discussed.     

Influencing factors of previous testing on blood determination (author's transl)]

The demonstration of individual characteristics, especially those of the blood group types are substantially disturbed through the hydrogenperoxide- and the luminol spray procedure, which when it is previously employed, can cause changes in the blood spot. These changes are expecially by very small blood spots to be expected, but even larger ones under intensive spraying can be effected. Only with great caution are such spray procedures to be used and then only if it is impossible any other way to gather information about the existance of blood spots.     

The use of combined spectroscopy in analytical toxicology (author's transl)]

The combined application of the four spectrometric techniques UV, IR, NMR and MS is an important analytical tool for the identification of the increasing number of potential poisons with which the analysts in the fields of forensic sciences and toxicology are confronted. Some of the contributions of these techniques to toxicological analyses are reviewed and illustrated by a few examples. Furthermore, the incorporation of the four methods into the analytical scheme, the requirements with respect to quantity and purity of the unkown substances, as well as the different possibilities for the combination of separation and identification techniques are outlined.     

Investigations of clobazam (Frisium) by combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (author's transl)

Clobazam (Frisium) was hydrolyzed according to three methods commonly used in the determination of 1.4-benzo-diazepines; the reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and thin-layer chromatography. Five degradation products were obtained for which structure proposals are discussed. After oral intake two of these substances were also detected in human urine. It should be recognized that some of the above mentioned substances may be on-column degradation products of artifacts occurring during hydrolyzation and/or sample clean-up.