A baby, a virus, and a rat

The authors present a case initially thought to be a child abuse homicide that, after complete autopsy and thorough investigation, was determined to be caused by a viral infection and complicated by postmortem animal activity. Neonatal herpes simplex infection and postmortem skin defects are discussed.     

Correlation of the incidence of cocaine and cocaethylene in hair and postmortem biologic samples

Hair samples are useful as a matrix for drug testing because drugs can be detected in hair for longer periods than in blood or urine. The authors report a prospective comparison of the detection of cocaine and cocaethylene in routine postmortem biologic specimens to the detection of cocaine and cocaethylene in hair. The authors collected hair samples from various areas of the head in 53 autopsy cases, prepared them, and analyzed them by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for cocaine and cocaethylene. The authors compared the results of hair analysis with the results of toxicologic analysis performed on routine postmortem samples by enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique and GC/MS. Cocaine was found in either biologic fluids or in hair in 16 of 53 samples tested. Nine samples were positive for cocaine in both biologic fluids and hair. Five samples contained cocaine only in biologic fluids, and two contained cocaine only in hair. Cocaethylene was present in two cases. Drug screening of hair provides additional information in some autopsy cases, but the authors have not made hair analysis a routine practice. It may prove useful to save hair samples in all cases for later analysis if warranted by additional history or autopsy findings.     

Restraint-related fatalities in mental health facilities: report of two cases

Mental health facilities are occasionally confronted with patients who display destructive or disruptive behaviors requiring physical restraint. Under these circumstances, restraint can be associated with death. This case report describes two fatalities associated with physical restraint applied by staff members at mental health facilities.     

Contents of Volume 19 (2000)

Volume Contents

Contents of Volume 19 (2000)     

Pulmonary edema in fatal heroin overdose: immunohistological investigations with IgE, collagen IV and laminin - no increase of defects of alveolar-capillary membranes

Pulmonary edema complicating heroin overdosage is a well recognized entity and regarded as the major mechanism contributing to death in heroin addicts. It's pathogenesis is unknown, several mechanisms are discussed: hypoxia-induced increase of pulmonary capillary permeability, depressed myocardial contractility, centrally induced respiratory depression, primary toxic effects on the alveolar capillaries and acute anaphylactic shock. The present study included opiate-related deaths (n=23) and a control group of sudden cardiovascular deaths (n=12) to verify the hypothesis, that defects of the alveolar capillary membranes and/or an acute anaphylactic reaction leads to pulmonary congestion, edema and hemorrhages. Lung specimens were obtained from these 35 autopsies of persons autopsied in the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, in 1997 and 1998. All specimens were examined with hematoxylin-eosin, prussian blue and investigated with immunohistological methods using primary antibodies against collagen IV, laminin and IgE. Defects of the basal laminae of the alveoli were found, demonstrated by laminin and collagen IV, and the number of IgE-positive cells was counted in both groups. There was an increased but not significant number of IgE-positive cells in the heroin-group and defects of the epithelial and endothelial basal laminae were found in both groups without significant differences.     

Segmental analysis for cocaine and metabolites by HPLC in hair of suspected drug overdose cases

Hair samples of eight postmortem cases were analyzed in segments of 1 to 3 cm for cocaine, benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene. Samples were prepared for analysis by digestion in 0.1 M HCl and subsequent extraction with mixed-mode solid-phase extraction columns. Measurement was made by reversed-phase, narrow-bore HPLC and fluorescence detection using two laboratory-made internal standards. The concentrations were in the region of 0.29-316 ng/mg of hair for cocaine, 0.43-141 ng/mg of hair for benzoylecgonine and 0.93-1.83 ng/mg of hair for cocaethylene. All eight investigated cases had cocaine-positive segments. In six of the cases, all segments were positive, suggesting regular cocaine use and two showed in-between negative segments indicating an interruption or a change of the abuse intensity. The results showed a second, remarkable observation, i.e. enormous concentration differences (factor >150) for both cocaine and benzoylecgonine between the different subjects. Furthermore, interindividual cocaine/benzoylecgonine ratios ranged from 0.02 to 8.43. We believe these observations could in part be attributed to both some of the still existing limitations in the analytical approach(es), especially the mandatory hair washing steps, and in our still too limited knowledge of the hair incorporation processes. Nevertheless, in some cases, segmental analysis proved to be an important tool to distinguish, together with postmortem examination, deadly chronic abuse from single acute drug overdosage.     

The statistical variability of blood alcohol concentration measurements in drink-driving cases

Like many other places in the world, Hong Kong has drink-driving legislation which prohibits a driver from having in his blood alcohol exceeding a prescribed limit while in control of a motor vehicle. The accuracy of measuring this alcohol concentration is obviously of prime concern as an erroneous result can avert the administration of justice. The common practice is to deduct all errors from the measured value and compare the deducted value with the prescribed limit, so that the benefit of all errors of the measurement is given to the driver. It is therefore important for any laboratory responsible for measuring blood alcohol concentrations to identify and quantify all errors associated with the measurement. The present study examined 900 blood alcohol determinations carried out by the Hong Kong Government Laboratory (HKGL) on cases of suspected drink driving. The determinations were performed by 5 different analysts with two different sets of instruments during 1995-1997. Statistical analysis indicated that the instruments had no bearing on the random error or variability and that even though analyst was a significant factor on variability, the deviation from the mean so caused was only 0.3% and of no practical significance. When the systematic error introduced by the tolerance limits of the certified alcohol standards (purchased from the Laboratory of Government Chemists, UK) was taken into account, the total uncertainty (random plus systematic errors) of an alcohol determination at 99.5% confidence level was found to be 4%. It is recommended that laboratories engaged in blood alcohol determination should adopt similar statistical treatment of their analytical results to find out the error and to ensure that the results are independent of analyst and instrument used.     

A biomechanical study of the human vertebral artery with implications for fatal arterial injury

We studied the biomechanical behaviour of ring and strip specimens from along the length of 18 vertebral arteries taken from 16 subjects aged 28-90 years, in order to consider some of the factors which may play a role in vertebral artery rupture. The method was chosen to allow a comparison between circumferential distension (ring samples) and longitudinal extension, (strip samples). The samples were extended between the jaws of a tensile testing apparatus until the specimen broke and a number of biomechanical parameters were derived. These were the percentage extension to break, the tensile strength, Young's modulus and the peak load. There were a number of important findings. The vertebral artery was shown to be susceptible to longitudinal stretching with a number of strip samples breaking when extended by as little as 16-20%. The tensile strength and load at peak of the strip specimens were correspondingly lower than for the ring samples. Marked intersubject variations were shown for all these parameters and prominent changes in behaviour occurred along the vertebral artery. This study indicates that the artery may be susceptible to head and neck movements which cause the vessel to stretch, and intersubject variations in behaviour may be one important explanation for the marked differences in outcome which appear to exist in subjects who suffer broadly similar head and neck insults.     

Unusual infant death: dog attack or postmortem mutilation after child abuse?

An unusual form of fatal child abuse is reported in which investigations by the police and the medical examiner were able to distinguish blunt force head trauma followed by postmortem dismemberment from a fatal dog attack. A discussion of the approaches used to ascertain the correct diagnosis is presented, as well as an overview of dog attacks on humans.