Study of hanging cases in Ahmedabad Region.

In spite of advancement in medical facilities, the natural end of life is inevitable. But for some persons, the death is destined earlier in an un-natural way. A few choose to make their own way by committing suicide. The major reasons are personnel problems, stress of life, family problems and financial problems. There are many methods for committing suicide like poisoning, hanging, self-immolation, drowning etc. Hanging provides painless death so it is one of the commonly adopted methods for suicide. However, in a few instances false allegations are made claiming that the ligature mark over neck is of strangulation rather than hanging. Vice versa cases are also likely. In such cases, the post-mortem findings are very helpful to differentiate between the two. Present prospective study was carried out at the mortuary of Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad over 2 years period ranging from December 2008 to November 2010 with a view to study to incidence, ligature materials, and post-mortem findings in hanging cases. The place of hanging, manner of death and reason for death were also studied in the study.

Study of profile of deaths due to poisoning in Bhavnagar region.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pattern of poisoning deaths in Bhavnagar region of Gujarat. The Paper presents the study of 143 cases of poisoning during the span of one year from 01/04/2008 to 31/03/2009. Out of 878 Post mortem examination done during the study period 143 cases were of poisoning. The cases were then analyzed on various parameters in the proforma prepared for this purpose. We concluded that majority of victims were married, Hindu, males from rural area and low socioeconomic group. The incidence of poisoning was more common during 21-30years of life. Suicidal cases were more common than accidental cases. No case of homicidal poisoning was detected in present study, chemical analysis of viscera done in 122 cases. Insecticide still topped the list as killer, while Aluminium phosphide & snake bite was second common fatal poisoning.

Original research paper epidemiological profile of suicide by hanging in southern parts of Kerala: An autopsy based study.

Suicide rate is increasing all over the world; but the rate is disproportionately higher in Kerala. One hundred and eighty one cases of known dead bodies of both genders brought for medico-legal autopsy with history of suicide by hanging, were studied at the Department of Forensic Medicine, State Medico Legal Institute, Government Medical College, Thruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. There was a male preponderance in the study group (71.3%) and majority of males were young or middle aged (82.1%) whereas females were adolescents or young adults (73.1%). Among the males, only 2.3% were farmers. Alcoholism was noted in 75.2% of males. Immediate psychological problems were the reason for suicide in 33.7% of cases, majority of them being married (55.8%). Soft materials, that were easily available, were used as ligatures (48.6%) which were tightened around neck by slip knots (58%) on the sides of neck (53%).

Suicidal acid injury: A case report.

Deaths from exposure to caustic substances are infrequently reported in the Forensic Medicine literature. A case of death due to Sulphuric acid ingestion in a patient of Major Depressive Disorder is being reported. This patient was planned for Electro-convulsive therapy, prior to the procedure he had been to bathroom. And when planned to prepare for the procedure on the ECT table, his mouth has smell of pungent odour. This made the psychiatrist to withhold the procedure and subjected him for observation. Later he complained of severe chest pain and restlessness, for which he has been shifted to emergency ward with possible precautions taken before shifting. He was provisionally diagnosed of acid ingestion but there was no history either from patient or from his relatives, as patient has consumed in the bathroom just before the Electro convulsive therapy. Diagnosis was confirmed only after autopsy report. The legal issues concerning suicide in mentally ill patient, autopsy findings, forensic issues and Patho-physiology concerning death by acid ingestion have been discussed.

Suicidal cut throat - A case report.

Cut throat is not a very common method preferred for committing suicide. Homicidal cut throat is more commonly seen in our country. The common methods used for committing suicide in our country are hanging, consumption of poison, burns, jumping from height, drowning, firearms, stabbing etc. Suicidal incised wounds are found most commonly in the neck and is usually associated with hesitational cut wounds. This paper is presented due to its rarity.

Suicide - the magnitude of the problem.

Suicide is the second commonest manner of unnatural death flanked by accident and homicide. Suicide is by no means a simple issue, for it hinges on a spectrum of ethical, legal, sociological and psychological problems and it is yet to be offered an unequivocal and satisfactory answer to all the questions raised by this perplexing phenomenon. In an attempt to analyse the magnitude of the problem of suicide, this paper provides a comprehensive data encompassing the prevailing scenario of suicide, investigation of suicide as viewed by different workers and the importance of differentiation between accident, homicide and suicide The presentation is concluded by emphasizing the advantages of psychological autopsy in suicide investigation.

El consumo de alcohol y su relación con la conducta suicida / Alcohol consumption and its relation with suicide behavior

Se describe la relación que hay entre la ingestión de alcohol y el suicidio. Varias investigaciones coinciden en que el suicidio es una de las causas de muerte más comunes entre los alcohólicos, después de los transtornos psicoafectivos. Asimismo, se reporta que la depresión y la desesperanza son factores determinantes en la conducta suicida de las personas con problemas de alcoholismo. se analizan los mecanismos de autodestrucción, sobre todo en lo referente al manejo de la agresión interna y externa, que pueden estar influidos por el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas, y que culminan en conductas suicidas. Se plantea la relación que existe entre los transtornos psicóticos y el riesgo de suicidio, sobre todo en las etapas avanzadas edel padecimiento en las que aparece pérdida de la introspección como consecuencia de un gran deterioro intelectual y del menoscabo de la memoria. Inicialmente puede presentarse una marcada depresión con ideas suicidas. Finalmente, se describe el papel que desempeño la ingestión de alcohol en 80 suicidios consumados, de los cuales el 55% (44 personas) bebían alcohol. De este porcentaje, el 43% resultó ser de alcohólicos, de acuerdo con la escala de preocupación por el consumo de alcohol, de Jackson. Asimismo, es de tomarse en consideración el índice de problemas relacionados con la ingestión de bebidas alcohólicas en los suicidas que estaban preocupados por su consumo de alcohol, debido a que de los 19 alcohólicos, 17 tenían diversos tipos de problemas, sobre todo de índole familiar, laboral y de salud