The course of respiration and circulation in death by carbon dioxide poisoning

To investigate the effects of very high concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) upon the course of respiration and circulation, dogs were allowed to breathe high concentrations of CO2 while intrathoracic pressure, blood pressure (BP) in the femoral artery, electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram readings were registered. The respiratory movements either increased just after inhalation of high concentrations of CO2 and then ceased in 1 min, or decreased and continued for a while according to the concentrations of CO2. The BP showed an initial depression, then returned to the original level, then fell again rapidly or maintained an appreciable level for a while until circulatory breakdown. In the dogs allowed to breathe the gas mixture of 80% CO2 with 20% O2, the respiratory movement ceased in 1 min, and the terminal respirations were seen with the circulatory breakdown after apnoea of several minutes. These findings showed that the cause of death in breathing high concentrations of CO2 is not hypoxia, but the CO2 poisoning.     

The course of respiration and circulation in 'toluene-sniffing'

To investigate the course of respiration and circulation in death by toluene inhalation, 25 dogs were allowed to rebreathe toluene vapor in a 1-1 plastic bag expanded with air, and electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), blood pressure (BP) in the femoral artery and intrathoracic pressure (ITP) were registered. The respiratory movement continued two times longer than that of death by suffocation using a plastic bag of the same size. In the ECG, low voltage of R waves precipitously appeared several minutes after the beginning of the experiment and continued. The BP gradually reduced by half and kept the level for several minutes. The stage was considered toluene narcosis. Toward the end of the respiratory movement, the BP increased gradually. The analysis of the ECG complexes during the toluene inhalation revealed the direct effect of toluene to the septal and ventricular muscle of the heart. But in the end of the respiratory movement, it revealed ST segment elevation and upright T. In a few experimental animals, some of the transient arrhythmia with fluctuation of the BP appeared during the course, and in one of these dogs, fatal ventricular fibrillation occurred suddenly. These findings suggested that in most cases of sudden death in 'toluene-sniffing', the cause of death is severe hypoxia during toluene narcosis, but in a few cases, it is fatal arrhythmia due to the direct effect of toluene to the heart muscle.     

Sudden death caused by hydatid embolism

An 18-year-old man died on the spot during a foot race. Previously, he had been in a healthy condition. Since the cause of his sudden death was unknown, a forensic autopsy was carried out. The autopsy revealed hydatid cysts in the right ventricle of the heart some of which had embolized the pulmonary arteries. In case of sudden death in endemic areas the possibility of a hydatid disease should be taken into consideration.     

An unusual death caused by strangulation

An accidental case of strangulation is reported in which the victim caught his head in the gap of a wooden shed. Before passing into unconsciousness rescue was attempted.     

迟发性机械性窒息死亡1例

机械性窒息后，多迅速死亡，或迅速好转，不遗留任何后遗症，迟发性窒息死亡少见。现报道1例皮带勒颈后持续昏迷，后合并肺部感染于14天后死亡的案例。     

迟发性机械性窒息死亡1例

机械性窒息后,多迅速死亡,或迅速好转,不遗留任何后遗症,迟发性窒息死亡少见。现报道1例皮带勒颈后持续昏迷,后合并肺部感染于14天后死亡     

Changes in skeletal muscles in death caused by hypothermia

The review of 32 deaths resulting from hypothermia yielded mostly the common pathological findings as bright red livores, haemolytic frost marks of the skin and Wichnewski erosions of the gastric mucosa. In addition the muscle system of the body core (musc. ileopsoas) showed hemorrhages and histologically necrosis of its fibres in form of segmental and discoid sarcoplasmatic alteration. These changes are a quite specific sign of death due to hypothermia, as far as mechanical injury can be excluded. For best result however a special autopsy technique and an appropriate histological staining are advisable.     

Sudden death caused by malignant testicular tumors

Sudden unexpected death of apparent healthy young males due to malignant tumours are extremely rare in forensic autopsy material. We report on three such cases dying of pulmonary embolism caused by metastazing tumour of the testis. In each subject the tumour was localized to the right testis and consisted of two types of tumour tissue: Seminoma and embryonic carcinoma, the latter of which was always the metastazing one. Each of the cases represent different aspects of forensic medicine. In the first subject the tumour had remained undiagnosed in a recent medical examination. The second one underwent surgery because of acute abdomen and died intraoperatively and the third one died suddenly during antibiotic treatment, because the tumour had been mistakenly diagnosed as orchitis.     

Sudden death caused by 1,1-difluoroethane inhalation

A 20-year-old man was found dead on the floor next to a computer, with a nearly full can of "CRC Duster" dust remover located next to the deceased on the floor, and an empty can of the same product on the computer desk. Toxicologic evaluation using either gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) method identified the active ingredient 1,1-difluoroethane (Freon 152a) in all tissues analyzed. Tissue distribution studies revealed highest concentration in central blood, lung, and liver. It is believed that the 1,1-difluoroethane inhalation was the cause of death.     

安装心脏起搏器致死亡2例的法医病理分析

心包填塞和外周静脉破裂出血致胸腔积血是心脏起搏器植入术中以及术后少见的并发症,特别是在在老年人生理病理性改变的情况下,临床上没有及时做出准确的病因诊断时,即使及时抢救,也容易导致病人突然死亡。所以,熟悉老年患者生理病理性的改变以及在床前随时做X线检查以及超声心动图检测,是及时明确病因、有效减少起搏器安装术后并发症的有效途径。现将近年来在法医实践中偶见的两例因安装心脏起搏器引起患者死亡的病理改变进行分析,为更好预防起搏器安装术并发症的发生提供线索。     

安装心脏起搏器致死亡2例的法医病理分析

心包填塞和外周静脉破裂出血致胸腔积血是心脏起搏器植入术中以及术后少见的并发症，特别是在在老年人生理病理性改变的情况下。临床上没有及时做出准确的病因诊断时，即使及时抢救，也容易导致病人突然死亡。所以。熟悉老年患者生理病理性的改变以及在床前随时做X线检查以及超声心动图检测，是及时明确病因、有效减少起搏器安装术后并发症的有效途径。现将近年来在法医实践中偶见的两例凼安装心脏起搏器引起患者死亡的病理改变进行分析，为更好预防起搏器安装术并发症的发生提供线索。     

Determination of a mechanism of the coming of death by morphological methods in strangulation mechanical asphyxia

Described in the paper are morphological data characterizing the tempo and type of thanatogenesis in strangulation asphyxia. The cerebral thanatogenesis was shown to prevail in mechanical asphyxia. The results of determination of a degree of hydration of the brain by drying its samples are described. Medullary substance was demonstrated to be hypohydrated in such death.     

Adult sudden death caused by aspiration of chewing gum

A case of a fatal foreign material aspiration is presented in the following text. A 24-year-old white male died suddenly. A piece of chewing gum lodged in a pool of frothy fluid was revealed at autopsy. Microscopic examinations revealed atelectasia emphysema, eosinophilic exudate and empty spaces. Blood and urine samples were analyzed, for alcohol and drug use by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) on an Abbott AXSYM system. No alcohol or other drugs were detected in blood or urine.     

The murderer is the bed: an unusual case of death by traumatic asphyxia in a hotel folding bunk bed

This paper presents the first referenced case on a death by traumatic asphyxia in a folding bunk bed. A middle-aged man was found dead in a hotel room trapped into a lower folding bunk bed where he had been sleeping after a party. The autopsy showed signs of asphyxia and excluded signs of struggle and sexual intercourse. Toxicological analyses revealed alcohol intoxication. A differential diagnosis of the manner of death including a technical study of the bed which contributed to understand the circumstances of death was made. The medico-legal investigation of the case strongly supported the hypothesis of an accidental death by traumatic asphyxia.     

冠心病合并冠状动脉血栓猝死的法医病理学特征

目的探讨冠心病合并冠状动脉血栓形成导致猝死的法医学特征。方法收集96例因冠心病而猝死的案例,并将其分为血栓形成组与无血栓形成组,对发病时间、诱因、病理特征等方面进行分析。结果两组都以男性为主,在季节和时间节律分布、诱因构成上差异无统计学意义,但血栓形成组中年龄〈40岁发病率更高;血栓形成组的心脏质量和冠脉狭窄程度低于无血栓形成组,而两组冠脉粥样硬化累及的支数（≥2）、累及长度及合并心梗等指标差异均无统计学意义,但血栓形成组有低于无血栓形成组的趋势。结论两组人群都以男性为主且发病诱因、冠脉病变部位及致死机制相似,但血栓形成组的发病年龄较轻,心脏的病变程度较低,法医学解剖中当认真鉴别。     

Unusual findings in a death caused by a car fire

Witnesses detected a burning car in the parking lot next to a discotheque in the early morning hours. After the fire had been extinguished, the charred body of the 23-year-old car owner was found in the driver's seat. The young man had been a guest of the discotheque the previous night and consumed plenty of alcoholic drinks. The traces left by the fire on the car suggested that the fire had started in the passenger compartment. At autopsy, greyish-brown discoloration and induration of the mucosa of the respiratory tract were found in addition to massive aspiration of soot and signs of soot swallowing. The macroscopic and histological findings pointed to a chemical burn of the airways probably caused by chlorine gases developing when the covering of the passenger compartment was burning. Chemical burns due to inhalation, aspiration and swallowing of soot are all signs of vitality, so that a smoldering fire must have gone on for a while inside the car with the windows closed. The most probable cause of the fire is that clothing or textile material in the car was set on fire by a burning cigarette.     

深圳市道路交通事故死亡案例特点分析

目的探讨道路交通事故死亡案例特点,为预防事故的发生提供可靠信息和参考数据。方法按照死者性别、年龄、死亡原因、事故发生时间及地点、事故车辆类型等相关参数,对深圳市4184例道路交通事故死亡案例进行回顾性分析。结果事故死亡人员以男性为主,男女比例为2.45∶1;事故在6：00～8：00和18：00～2：00发生最多;72%的案例在城郊主干道发生;死者主要交通行为方式分别为步行占44%,自行车骑车人19%,摩托车驾车人15%;肇事车辆以货车为主;死亡原因83.2%为颅脑损伤死亡,13.3%为多发损伤。结论深圳地区道路交通事故死亡案件具有明显特点,具有可防范性。