Death caused by orphenadine poisoning

The number of deaths as a consequence of orphenadine poisoning seems to increase, mostly among severely psychotic males. The lethal dose corresponds to the weekly average dose used in the treatment of neuroleptic extrapyramidal side effects. Based on the literature, the serious, rapidly incipient, cardiac, and neurologic symptoms of poisoning are emphasized. The handing out of orphenadine to suicidal persons must be restricted, and even small overdoses (1-2 g) ought to result in the immediate initiation of observation at an intensive care unit.     

Human cannibalism: a case report

Human cannibal cases are relatively rare in modern civilized societies. We report a single case of familial cannibalism that occurred in Oklahoma in 1977. The investigation posed unique problems in pathology, psychiatry, criminalistics, and serology.     

The sciatic notch/acetabular index as a discriminator of sex in European skeletal remains

The sciatic notch/acetabular index and its rule of thumb application was tested on two European skeletal series of documented sex. The results showed poor consistency between documented and estimated sex. Of the two variables comprising the index, it appeared that sciatic notch width was a particularly poor discriminator of sex. It is suggested that this may be due to differences in the relationship between sciatic notch form and body size in different ethnic groups.     

Measuring the thickness of facial soft tissues using nuclear magnetic resonance tomography for the purpose of identification

Nuclear spin tomography since its beginnings in the seventies has steadily gained in importance as a method of examination in medical diagnostics as it produces a picture. In the field of forensic medicine the NMR technique as used for anatomic-anthropologic issues attempting to identify skulls this is a valuable supplement to an extension of the existing methods of investigation. The results of a measurement of the thickness of soft facial tissue in a live test person is shown as compared to measures obtained by sonography.     

Detection of cocaine metabolite in perspiration stain, menstrual bloodstain, and hair

Low nanogram and picogram quantities of cocaine metabolite equivalents were detected in extracts from perspiration stains, menstrual bloodstains, and hair using radioimmunoassay. The theory of drug inclusion in hair and its significance are discussed.