NCJ Number
112164
Date Published
1988
Length
335 pages
Annotation
This text provides an overview of analytical toxicology in both living patients and in postmortem examinations.
Abstract
Tests for analyzing blood, urine, and other samples (stomach wash and aspirates, hair and nails, feces, air from lungs) from patients in cases where poisoning is suspected are detailed. A special section on drug abuse screening discusses immunological methods, thin-layer chromatography, and other in-house methods of analysis. Examination of extracts covers acids, bases, narcotics, and morphine. Postmortem investigation in cases of unexpected death is then considered. Tests and techniques, including chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods, are detailed for blood, urine, and tissue analysis. Blood and urine tests described include those for salicylate, paracetamol, ethanol, and carbon monoxide, as well as immunological tests. Extraction and analytical methods for the analysis of liver samples are detailed, including sodium tungstate precipitation and the subtilisin method. Additional extraction and analytical techniques are described for brain and kidney samples and for the contents of the alimentary tract. An alphabetical listing describes methods for analyzing chemicals and drugs including agricultural chemicals and pesticides, analgesics, anions, antidepressants, hypnotics and sedatives, metals, volatiles, and drugs of abuse. Figures, tables, index, and approximately 550 references.