Suicide by xylene ingestion. A case report and review of literature

A 27-year-old male committed suicide by ingestion of a large quantity of xylene. The presence of xylene in the tissues of the victim was confirmed by chromatographic and spectrometric techniques. High levels of xylene were detected in blood (11 mg/dl), gastric contents (880 mg/dl), and duodenal contents (3,300 mg/dl). Histological examination of the lungs showed severe congestion and acute pulmonary edema. Review of the relevant literature is presented.