CHOKING IN A PSYCHIATRIC PATIENT - A CASE REPOR

Choking is one of the important types of asphyxia deaths. The incidences of which are not uncommon. The choking in children could be due toys, coins, marbles, nuts and any other small hard object or even sometimes due to stuffed in plastic bags whereas in adults most of the times food bolus or hard parts of food like bone pieces are responsible. It is mostly accidental in nature. It can cause coughing or sometimes airway obstruction leading to death. We present a case wherein a mentally ill person accidentally choked to death after consumption of food.

CORRELATION OF CELLULAR AUTOLYTIC CHANGES IN BONE MARROW WITH POST-MORTEM INTERVAL

Estimation of post mortem interval is of great importance in both civil and criminal disputes. Determining time since death is extremely difficult and accuracy can never be met. Most of the methods currently employed are temperature based algorithms, rigor mortis, livor mortis, thanato-chemistry etc. But the uncertainties attaching to traditional means of establishing the time since death have directed attention to the chemical changes in the body fluids like cerebrospinal fluid and vitreous humour along with various cellular changes in the body tissues. The study of the viability and morphological changes seen in the cells of various body tissues could provide useful information regarding post-mortem interval. In our study the cellular and cytoplasmic changes observed were time related up to 16 hours.

Krait bite poisoning in manipal region of Southern India.

Krait commonly inhabits the South Asian countries and is regarded as the most dangerous species of venomous snake in the Indian subcontinent. This prospective research included the consecutive cases of Krait bite cases admitted to Kasturba Hospital, Manipal during August 2003 and November 2005. All the victims of Krait bite were females aged between 17 and 35 years. Victims were from a rural background and most of them were bitten indoors and during the night time. Most of the bites involved the lower limbs. Signs of envenomation (neurological symptoms) were observed in 50% of the cases. In the only case of fatal outcome in our study, there was a delay in diagnosis of Krait bite owing to the absence of bite marks. The case emphasizes on the fact that the possibility of snake bite should be considered in an otherwise healthy person who presents with sudden onset of neuroparalytic features.

Epidemiology of cobra bite in Manipal, Southern India.

Envenomation by poisonous snakes is considered as an occupational hazard. Cobra bite is commonly encountered in the South Asian countries. The prospective research was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal to study the epidemiology, manifestations and treatment of cobra snakebite cases admitted to Kasturba Hospital, Manipal during August 2003 and November 2005. Twenty cases of cobra bite were reported during the study period. The victims of cobra bite predominantly were females. Mean age of victims was 41.9 years. Maximum cases occurred during the summer and pre-monsoon months, during daytime and involved the upper limbs. Ptosis was the chief neurotoxic feature followed by dysarthria. Cellulitis as a complication was observed in most of the cases. Polyvalent Anti Snake Venom (ASV) vials were used as specific treatment. No mortality was reported during the study period.

Handedness in skeletal remains.

Identification of a highly decomposed body and skeletal remains is of paramount importance in the investigation of a crime. While general characteristics of the skeletal remains like age, sex, stature, race etc. place the subject in a specific group, determination of any special characteristic can help identify the remains further. Handedness can be an important individual skeletal characteristic and an important criterion of identification in highly decomposed bodies and skeletal remains when used in corroboration with other findings. A case report of skeletal remains examination that was suggestive of handedness presented with review of relevant literature.