Presence of periorbital and conjunctival petechial hemorrhages in accidental pediatric drowning

The pathological findings of drowning are variable and non-specific. Petechial hemorrhages involving the periorbital region and the conjunctiva have been described in many causes of death, but are thought to be exceedingly uncommon in cases of drowning. However, such studies have not specifically addressed the pediatric population. The current study retrospectively examined 79 cases of accidental pediatric drowning for the presence of periorbital/conjunctival hemorrhages and analyzed factors that may have affected their presence. Ten victims had periorbital/conjunctival petechial hemorrhages (13%), with five having periorbital petechiae, three having conjunctival petechiae, and two having both periorbital and conjunctival petechiae. The age and gender of the victim, site of drowning, resuscitation history and the presence of other pathological findings were not significantly associated with the presence of periorbital/conjunctival petechiae. However, as the interval between the drowning episode and autopsy increased, the incidence of periorbital/conjunctival petechiae decreased (28% for <24h; 7% for >24h). The presence of periorbital/conjunctival hemorrhages in a significant proportion of pediatric drowning victims confirms that the pathologist must add this finding to the spectrum of changes seen in pediatric drowning.     

The cultural construction of gender

Bronwyn Davies, Frogs and Snails and Feminist Tales. Preschool Children and Gender (Allen and Unwin) Sydney, 1989; E. Deidre Pribram (ed.), Female Spectators. Looking at Film and Television (Verso) London/New York, 1988; Derek Longhurst (ed.), Gender, Genre and Narrative Pleasure (Unwin Hyman) London, 1989.     

Criminology post-Maastricht

My objectives in this paper are to try and identify the range of challenges that now confront critical criminologists who work in, and are attentive to, the “new Europe” whose construction was so clearly signalled by the Maastricht Treaty (the Treaty on European Union) of 1993. I want to concentrate here on two issues — firstly, the challenge of situating the work of criminology in relation to the process of political union (and enlargement) of the European Union, and, secondly, the articulation of an agenda of work for critical criminology, that derives, from an understanding of this broader context. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Psycho-social Analysis of Black Teenage Pregnancies: Implications for Public and Cultural Policies

This paper identifies three challenges to understanding and remedying problems in black teenage pregnancy: cultural, developmental, and normative.