Mesothelioma of the septum interatriale (author's transl)]

Sudden death of a 21-year-old women. The cause of death was mesothelioma situated in the region of the interatrial septum that has been manifested since childhood as a complete heart block. Neither gravidity nor delivery led to the aggravation of her state of health. The cause of this heart lesion, which was the mentioned rare tumor, was discovered only during the autopsy.     

Suicides in hospitals of Vienna (author's transl)]

An analysis of the autopsies ordered by the Viennese Forensic and Health Authorities between 1967 and 1976 has shown that 2.3% of all suicides were committed in hospitals. Two thirds of the 77 examined cases were carried out by males. Thirty-five patients were in stationary psychiatric treatment; their average age was 50.7 years. In all other kinds of hospitals 42 (mostly male) patients committed suicide at an average age of 65.3 years. Preferred methods of performance were jump and fall from height (44.1%) and hanging (40.3%). Rare methods used were one case of abdominal incisions (harakiri), one self-strangulation, and one case of suffociation in plastic bags. The act was usually accomplished early in the morning or in the late afternoon. Among the suicidal patients who were hospitalized because of organic diseases those with malignant neoplasms [18] and cardiovascular diseases [12] were predominant. Also taking the suicides outside hospitals into consideration the numerical ratio between natural deaths due to cancer and the suicides of cancer patients is about 1:1,000. Amont the suicides in psychiatric institutions schizophrenics [11] and endogenous depressives [7] were the most numerous. In 4 cases the suicide was preceded by acts of injury or homicide.     

The liver and the so-called absorption deficiency. A hypothesis (author's transl)]

The blood supply of the liver consists of about 25 per cent from the hepatic artery and 75 per cent from the portal vein. Therefore, especially in the phase of absorption, considerably more alcohol comes from the portal vein into the liver than from the hepatic artery. As the alcohol in the liver is always partially metabolised, all the alcohol that is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract can never appear in the general and pulmonary circulation. Perhaps this is the essential reason for the so-called absorption deficiency.     

"Possessedness" and exorcism in the year 1976 (author's transl)]

A 23 year-old woman died as a result of deficient food and liquid intake as well as of physical exhaustion brought about by an unchecked pathological displacement impulse. Finally pneumonia developed in a typical manner. During the previous 9 months exorcism had been carried out a total of 60 to 70 times, the last time being on the eve of her death, to "expel demons" and to heal the "possessed". Summarized the medical diagnosis of "possession" was: Parnoid-hallucinatory psychosis with epilepsy in the background of special psycho-social factors. During the time of influence by the priests who carried out the exorcism all medical treatment was denied. This, it was pointed out by the participants, occurred at the express wish of the "possessed" and also due to the conviction that medical aid would be ineffective. This fateful development took place in a milieu of belief in demons fostered by the priests and uncritical rejection of medico-scientific treatment methods. According to the results of the hearing of witnesses during the now legally valid proceedings ending with the exorcists and the deceased's parents being convicted for accidental homicide a doctor probably also participated in what happend in a reprehensible manner.     

Frequency of positive diazepam-screening in post-mortem examinations (author's transl)]

The post-mortem blood specimens of 389 forensic autopsies were analyzed for diazepam. The age of the cases investigated was above 10 years and the survival time was less than 12 hours. Eighteen samples corresponding to 4.6% were found to be diazepam-positive. These 18 samples were distributed equally between men and women. The proportion of diazepam-positive samples was increased in the groups of suicide and poisoning (alcohol and opiates). The association between diazepam intake and poisoning was statistically highly significant. No correlation was found between diazepam intake and age. Alcohol was found to occur significantly more often in the group of the diazepam positive cases as compared to the diazepam negative group.     

Impairment of performance by alcohol and diazepam (author's transl)]

An investigation was carried out on the effect of the intake of diazepam and alcohol on simple performance tests. The combined administration of diazepam and alcohol led to an increase of the plasma diazepam concentration as compared to that obtained after diazepam without alcohol. Furthermore, after combined intake of diazepam and alcohol a decrease of performance was observed, that was significantly higher, than the effects obtained after either alcohol or diazepam alone. This impairment was especially noticeable duirng the first hour of the experiment, i.e. until the plateau of the diazepam plasma concentration was reached, while afterwards a correlation between diazepam plasma concentration and impairment of performance could not be established. The relevance of these findings for the interpretation of diazepam plasma concentrations in relation to the impairment of performance are discussed.     

Concerning survival time in primary hematomas of the brain-stem (author's transl)]

The autopsy on a 54-year old man, who had a motorcycle-accident 17 days before and suffered a head injury, showed a large traumatic hemorrhage in the oral pontine region. The lesion must be considered primarily traumatic because of the brain-stem symptoms which appeared immediately after the accident (immediate unconsciousness, extension spasms, miosis) the macroscopic and histological findings (proliferation around the hemorrhage, hematoidin in the centre of the hemorrhage) and the biomechanical circumstances (impact on the occiput). Furthermore, considering the clinical findings and the autopsy results, pathogenetic factors which might have produced secondary hemorrhage seem to be unlikely. It seems as if the timing of death after traumatic hemorrhage in the oral pontine region depends less on the direct lesion in these areas, but on the extension of the hemorrhage to the caudal brainstem with concomittant edema. For the differentiation between primary and secondary brainstem lesions the duration of the survival time is therefore only of relative significance.     

Identification and significance of delta-aminovaleric acid in putrefaction materials (author's transl)]

During former putrefaction experiments regularly a proteogenic substance has been found which by means of modern analytical methods now was identified as delta-aminovaleric acid (DAVA). DAVA seems to appear in guinea pig as well as human organs and some body fluids under experimental conditions never before the 3rd (20 degrees C) to 5th day (10 degrees C). It is characterized by statistically significant increases until the end of the 2nd (20 degrees C) to 5th week (10 degrees C) and relatively stable values thereafter. Considering storage temperature measurement of DAVA concentration can be of relevance for the estimation of the time of death in cases of putrescent corpses.     

Data on the static and dynamic rigidity of the calvaria (author's transl)]

Our investigation, carried out on the calvaria of a cadaver, gave us numerical values for the scientific cognition of the static and dynamic flexion- elasticity of the bones of the calvaria. The investigations were carried out with a DYNSTATT type, pendulum-system, flexion-elasticity examining apparatus. On the basis of the measured values three value groups could be established and correspondingly, well-separable regions on the calvaria. While the dynamic static resistance of generally higher value decreases with the progress of the circle, the static resistance rises with approximately identical values. The collateral fractures - indirect fractures - observed beside the direct fractures of the calvaria develop on the parts of the bone around the directly damaged bone region which show relatively smaller static and dynamic resistance.     

The detection of inherited enzyme polymorphism in semen (author's transl)]

Our investigation of the occurrence of the enzymes phosphoglucomutase (PGM), glutamate-pyruvate-transaminase (GPT), adenylatkinase (AK), adenosine-desaminase (ADA), and 6-phophogluconate-dehydrogenase (6-PGD) produced the following results: The phosphoglucomutase type was demonstrated in the most sperm samples and seminal stains in accordance with the corresponding blood type. This enzyme is rather stable and could still be demonstrated well in 1-month old stains. The glutamate-pyruvate-transaminase can only seldom be determined in semen and seminal stains. We only found the GPT 1 type, which is known to have usually the strongest activity. The adenylatekinase was demonstrable in the most fresh ejaculates (not older than 24 h) and in about half the seminal stains (not older than 7 days)--The AK--2-band gets weak with increasing lay days, which may lead to incorrect determinations. The adenosine-desaminase could not be determined in sperm. On the contrary, 6-phosphogluconate-dehydrogenase could be demonstrated in fresh semen samples and also partly in seminal stains up to 7 days. The demonstration of the enzymes did not depend in any system on the secretor type.     

Behaviour of p-nitrophenol-glucuronide in hydrolysis with mineral acids (author's transl)]

The behaviour of p-nitrophenol and synthetic p-nitrophenol-glucuronide with mineral acids has been investigated. With sulfuric acid (33%) about 93% of the glucuronide derivative have been hydrolysed; the solution was heated in open vessel for 15 sec. With hydrochloric acid (6%) only about 65% of the conjugated p-nitrophenol have been converted to the free form. No losses were detected, when free p-nitrophenol was treated under the same conditions. Three other methods of hydrolysis have been applied.     

A case of goodpasture-syndrome in legal medical practice (author's transl)]

Goodpasture's syndrome (GS) is a very rare diagnosis in forensic post-mortem examinations. This casereport shows, that GS should always be considered as cause of sudden natural death of young adults, if merely unusual disseminated pulmonary hemorrhages represent the essential findings at autopsy. The final diagnosis of GS is made by microscopic evidence of additional diffuse hemosiderosis of the lungs and proliferative glomerulonephritis.     

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.     

Quantitative investigation of the amino acid levels in putrefying liver (author's transl)]

To elucidate the post-mortem proteolysis we investigated the behaviour of the free amino acids in rotting liver homogenates by means of two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography and reflection densitometry. The post-mortem alterations of the amino acid levels are characterized mostly by a two-phase increase with maxima at the end of the first and after the third week. A few amino acids showed only little changes hardly above the physiological intra-cellular levels. Anaerobic rat experiments and experiences with antibiotic treatment give rise to the supposition that increasing amino acid concentrations indicate a predominance of proteolytic activities over aminoacid catabolism. In the beginning autoenzymes are prevalent, while afterwards bacterial proteases probably predominate. The transient regression about the second and thrid week is interpreted as the effect of a temporarily intensified amino acid degradation by foreign enzymes (maximal bacterial growth).     

Organic lesions after application of hashish in rats and rabbits (author's transl)]

Toxic lesions were found in liver, kidney and brain of rats and rabbits after oral application of hashish for 7 or 30 days. The brain tissue showed hyperemia and edema. The cerebral cortex, brain stem and cerebellum contained ganglion cells with eccentric nuclei and an icreased number of nucleoli. Different stages of cell lesions could be distinguished by nuclear vacuoles, pyknosis and karyolysis. The cytoplasma was loosened and showed numerous vacuoles. In the kidney we found, besides interstitial hemorrhage, cloudy swelling of the proximal tubules with vacuolous degeneration and nuclear pyknosis and karyolysis in all stages. The glomeruli were often enlarged with thickening of Bowman's capsule and surrounding cellular infiltration with cell fragments. The liver cells showed irregularities of nuclei and vacuolated nuclei, plasma vacuoles and cell necrosis. Infiltrations of round cells at the portal-biliary areas were usually combined with an activation of the Kupffer cells and intracellular bile stasis.     

Apparently contradictory homozygosity of gc- and esd-markers in three generations (author's transl)]

In a paternity case we found contradictory blood group antigens in the serum- and enzyme-polymorphisms Gc and EsD of the child, her mother and grandparents. A possible accidental exchange of the child could be excluded by biostatistical calculations of the probabilities of motherhood, fatherhood and parenthood, and the descent from the parents was proven in both generations. The serological findings may be explained by the concurrent existence of silent genes or of genes that cannot be determined as yet. The genetic information Gc degrees descended from the grandfather and that for EsD degrees from the grandmother. Both were transmitted from the mother to the child. Thus, the case could be cleared by statistical considerations only.     

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.     

Effects of alcohol in the embryo, fetus, and newborn infant (author's transl)]

At delivery the newborn infant of a drunken mother had a bloodalcohol concentration of about 2.0%. The elimination rate was calculated to be 0.08%/h. The infant exhibited obvious features of an embryofetal alcohol syndrome. Several cases from literature are cited with ethanol given for therapeutic purpose in obstetrics and bloodalcohol concentration exceeding to 1%-2%. This means that values up to 2% in newborn infants without any other pathological findings should not solely be accepted as cause of death in forensic cases.     

Identification and determination of age of needle tracks in human skin (author's transl)]

Examination of enzymic activities and histochemical reactions on needle pricks can be used to determine the age of micro-injuries with sufficient exactness. Well preserved skin shows patterns of enzymes which also appear with other skin injuries and which were described in detail especially by Raekallio (1970, 1972). In autolytical changes of the skin the adenosinetriphosphatase-reaction is still reliable and can be successfully estimated. If one has sufficient experience it is possible to fairly exactly estimate the age of an injury within the first hour after the injury by preparation of the adenosinetriphosphatase-reaction. If the times of injections are known one frequently succeeds in determining the time of death by exactly determining the age of the injury. In legal expertises the histochemical reactions can rightly be regarded as useful indications of a certain age of the injury. But they do not allow an exact estimate "beyond a reasonable doubt".     

Comments on the paper by D. Tausch et al. Experiments on the penetration power of various bullets into skin and muscle tissue (author's transl)]

The objections in the following comments on a recent paper by Tausch et al. (1978) are raised principally to the points that the mass of the projectile is given an importance for the penetration which is not justified, and that the inherent uncertainty of the measurement data and the scope of validity of the empirical formulas are not sufficiently taken into account. The discussion on the process of penetration and a discontinuity of the depth of penetration as a function of the velocity of the bullet is of fundamental significance, with consequences for the definition of the critical velocity.