Yellow oleander poisoning--a study of 170 cases

Yellow oleander or Thevetia peruviana is a very common plant in the North of Sri Lanka. Ever since the fact that the fruits and kernel are poisonous was published in the Newspapers, many cases of poisoning due to Thevetia occurred. 170 cases of Thevetia poisoning admitted to the Teaching Hospital, Jaffna in the North of Sri Lanka are studied by the authors. The mortality, morbidity, age distribution, presenting symptoms and clinical findings are analysed. The action of the cardiac glycoside in Thevetia is clearly demonstrated in this study.     

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of buflomedil hydrochloride in biological samples after acute intoxication.

Two cases of acute intoxication of buflomedil hydrochloride are reported. The analysis of this compound was performed by an Extrelut extraction followed by a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination. Analytical parameters of linearity, reproducibility and specificity were satisfactory.     

The strength, biochemical and biophysical properties of the skin in the simulation of injuries

The results of experimental investigation on determination of stress-strain and resistant skin properties, its plastic elements (collagenous proteins, proteoglycans, glycoproteins) and steam permeability in lesion modelling are presented.     

The effect of drinking age laws and alcohol-related crashes: Time-series evidence from Wisconsin

The imposition of a national 21-year minimum drinking age has sparked considerable controversy in recent years. Critics have contended that the perceived “successes” of the increased drinking age are actually due to underlying trends toward fewer alcohol-related crashes among teenagers, and would have occurred in the absence of an increased drinking age. I use monthly Wisconsin time-series data from 1976 to 1993 to estimate the effects of increased minimum drinking ages on alcohol-related crashes involving teenagers. I find that raising the drinking age has resulted in substantially lower alcohol-related crash rates involving teenagers. In addition, I find evidence that crashes increased in years in which Wisconsin's drinking age was lower than those of its neighbors, suggesting that “border hopping” resulted from interjurisdictional policy differences.     

The course of respiration in death caused by obstructive asphyxia

Experiments were carried out on 30 dogs to investigate the course of respiration during obstructive asphyxia. They were asphyxiated by occlusion of the exposed trachea. Intrathoracic pressure, blood pressure in the femoral artery, electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram readings were registered. In most cases, the respiration course during the dyspnea stage by occlusion of the trachea generally had an inspiratory character. In a few animals, when the trachea was occluded in the expiratory phase, there were a few positive expiratory respirations with moderate inspiratory movement and thereafter the respirations were inspiratory during the dyspnea stage. The terminal respirations, which occurred 1-2 min before the circulatory breakdown, were generally inspiratory, but in a few dogs they were expiratory.     

The forensic medical diagnosis of death-cup poisonings

Comparative analysis and evaluation of all modern methods used for medicolegal diagnosis of poisoning with Amanita phalloides are presented. Imperfection of methods used for laboratory diagnosis of such poisonings requires extensive experimental control using the designed method of liquid chromatography for amanitine and phalloidine assay in the cadaveric organs and tissues.