NCJ Number
61759
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
CONSIDERATIONS OF THE POLICE SURGEON IN CASES INVOLVING POISONING ARE PRESENTED INCLUDING FORENSIC CLASSIFICATION, EFFECTS OF POISONING, MEDICAL EXAMINER DUTIES, BARBITURATES, SALICYLATES, AND CARBON MONOXIDE.
Abstract
THE POLICE SURGEON MAY CONFRONT THE EFFECTS OF POISONING IN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. TOXIC SUBSTANCES ABOUND IN THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THERE IS NO SIMPLE CLASSIFICATION IN TERMS OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, SOURCE, CLINICAL EFFECTS, OR TREATMENT. SEVERAL PRINCIPLES ARE RELEVANT TO FORENSIC MEDICINE. ACCIDENTAL POISONING OCCURS FROM AN INFINITE NUMBER OF SOURCES AND IS PARTICULARLY COMMON IN CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12. IN ADULTS, ACCIDENTAL POISONING MAY OCCUR AT HOME, AT WORK, OR DURING LEISURE PURSUITS. SUICIDAL POISONING ACCOUNTS FOR SOME 24,000 PERSONS ADMITTED TO HOSPITALS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM EACH YEAR; APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 2 PERCENT DIE. IATROGENIC POISONING IS ALSO COMMON. FINALLY, HOMICIDAL POISONING IS RARE BUT CERTAINLY HAS A GREATER INCIDENCE THAN PUBLISHED STATISTICS INDICATE. POISONS SUCH AS ACIDS AND HEAVY METALS HAVE A CORROSIVE ACTION ON THE SKIN AND IF INGESTED IN SUFFICIENT AMOUNTS CAN CAUSE DEATH RAPIDLY; OTHER POISONS THAT AFFECT THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE. FACTORS AFFECTING THE SPEED OF ACTION OF POISONS INCLUDE ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION, AGE OF VICTIM, TOLERANCE, GENERAL HEALTH OF VICTIM, QUANTITY TAKEN, AND SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL. IN DEALING WITH POISONING CASES, THE DUTIES OF THE POLICE SURGEON INCLUDE INVESTIGATION OF THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE POISONING AND PROVISION OF RAPID TREATMENT. BARBITURATES HAVE A PARTICULARLY NOTORIOUS REPUTATION AS A CAUSE OF POISONING, AS DO THE SALICYLATES. PARACETAMOL, TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS, BENZODIAZEPINES, IRON, AND CARBON MONOXIDE ARE ALSO FREQUENT CAUSES OF POISONING. POISON INFORMATION CENTERS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION RAPIDLY AND EFFICIENTLY TO THOSE SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN SUSPECTED POISONING CASES. (LWM)