Penetration Depth of Projectiles Fired from a Replica of Colt Navy of 1851 in 20% Gelatin Blocks Correlated with Fatal Injuries Assessed in an Autopsy of a 78-Year-Old Man.

Pursuant to the Polish Weapons and Ammunitions Law, muzzle-loading black powder weapons, manufactured before 1885, or their replicas, as well as suitable projectiles, can be possessed legally without registration and special licenses. The aim of the study was to assess the penetration depth of projectiles fired from a black powder weapon, replica of Colt Navy of 1851, in 20% gelatin blocks and to compare the obtained results with the actual injuries found on autopsy of a 78-year-old man who had committed suicide. In the experiments, we used the black powder weapon and ammunitions, as well as gelatin blocks serving as a soft tissue model. We ascertained that solid spherical projectiles fired from black powder weapons cause extensive injuries, especially in the initial segment of the wound canal. Additionally, based on the presence and location of the wad in the wound canal, the distance from which the shot was fired can be determined.

Special Purpose Short Stop-Type Ammunitions (Hornet, Wasp, Mosquito)-Gelatin Model Investigation.

Short Stop-type .38 Mesko Special revolver ammunitions have been designed for incapacitation of humans without causing serious bodily injuries. Three types of those ammunitions differing in increasing amounts of gunpowder in the shell chamber and, consequently, increasing kinetic energy of the projectiles can be distinguished: Komar (Mosquito), Osa (Wasp), and Szerszen (Hornet), respectively.The aim of this study was to investigate the ballistic features of such projectiles in a gelatin model. Twenty percent gelatin blocks at 10°C were shot at with a caliber .38 ROSSI Special revolver from 5-, 20-, 50-, and 100-cm distances.The deepest penetration was observed in the case of Hornet-type projectiles, which penetrated into the depth of 10 cm even when shot from 100-cm distance.The results of the research demonstrate that none of the projectiles shot at humans from firearms can be regarded as "safe" because the inflicted injuries do not depend solely on the construction of the bullet, but also on the shooting distance. The use of theoretically nonpenetrating Short Stop-type ammunitions at a distance not exceeding 1 m may cause serious injuries, at times even as extensive as those caused by penetrating projectiles.

[Symptomless aspiration of a dental bur in the lower respiratory tract--a case report]. / Bezobjawowa aspiracja wiertla stomatologicznego do dolnych dróg oddechowych--opis przypadku.

In this study, the authors review a case of a man who asymptomatically aspired a dental bur in the lower respiratory tract during dental treatment. Lack of any symptoms of foreign body aspiration erroneously suggested swallowing of the object and its passage to the stomach. This suggestion was not excluded by a control chest radiograph. Further specialist imaging examinations allowed for establishing the definite diagnosis and the patient underwent successful retrieval of the bur using left-sided thoracotomy.

Sudden death due to malignant hyperthermia during general anesthesia.

The authors present a case of malignant hyperthermia. The article discusses the death of a 4-year old boy who appeared to be perfectly healthy and underwent dental treatment under general anesthesia. The procedure went well at the beginning, but suddenly complications developed, such as cardiac rhythm disorders and increased body temperature, subsequently, muscle rigidity appeared. Such symptoms are characteristic for an inherited disease called malignant hyperthermia. Despite professionally performed resuscitation and help of an emergency unit, the patient died.

Atypical abdominal lacerated wound--differentiation from an incised wound.

In the Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University in Lodz, there was performed an autopsy of a man with an extensive defect of the abdominal integument and perineum. The inspection of the body at the site it was found together with the deposition of the deceased man's concubine suggested the possibility of criminal degloving of the body using a sharp-edged tool with superimposed injuries inflicted by a dog. Autopsy findings combined with results of additional tests (microscopic examination of tissue sections, ethyl alcohol level determination) allowed for verification of the investigation hypothesis, exclusion of a criminal act and demonstrating dog-inflicted injuries as the cause of death.

[The risk of death following the consumption of ethanol based on forensic research material]. / Ryzyko zgonu w nastepstwie spozycia etanolu na podstawie materialu badawczego medycyny sadowej.

UNLABELLED: The number of abusers in Poland is estimated at about 2.8-3.5 million, including about 600-900 thousands dependent. In this group a variety of somatic disorders and mental health are diagnosed. Mortality among persons with alcohol dependence is several times higher than among those abstainers. Alcohol dependence increases the risk to attempt suicide. Health damage caused by alcohol depends on: the frequency and quantity of drinking of alcohol, age, gender, duration of addiction. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY was to analyze the causes of death in the aftermath of alcohol consumption based on sectional material. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 336 autopsy protocols. In order to analyze the collected material was used a questionnaire created for this study. Deaths have been divided into two groups: violent deaths, resulting from trauma and natural deaths. RESULTS: It was observed significant relationship between alcohol consumption and the nature of death. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the deaths associated with alcohol consumption is a sudden deaths, not due to natural causes. Among the sudden deaths domination of ethyl alcohol poisoning, traffic accidents, murder, hanging and drowning.

[Cases of myocarditis and their effect on the mechanism of death]. / Przypadki zapalenia miesnia sercowego i ich wplyw na mechanizm zgonu.

In this study, we describe two cases with autopsy findings of interstitial myocarditis. They show that supplementing the autopsy with histopathological examination, even when the cause of death is thought to be clear and obvious, is extremely important as it can contribute valuable information to the case, including the circumstances of death. In the first case, we discussed a tram accident in which its driver was killed. The family of the deceased reported that he had been suffering from consciousness disturbances for some time, and additional radiological examinations demonstrated abnormalities in his neck blood vessels. In the second case, a pregnant woman was admitted to hospital after a cardiac and respiratory arrest. A cesarean section was carried out but the fetus was already dead. The woman was declared dead shortly after the operation.

[Pulmonary contusion and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as complications of blunt chest trauma]. / Stluczenie pluc i zespól ostrych zaburzen oddechowych ARDS jako powiklania tepego urazu klatki piersiowej.

Blunt chest traumas are common nowadays due to development of motor transport. They are associated with high mortality rates because of serious injuries of internal organs. The mechanisms of injuries are complex and may cause damages ranging from small ones, such as bruises or abrasions, to life-threatening trauma. Among typical injuries there are rib fractures, sternal fractures, pneumothorax, hemothorax, diaphragm lacerations, pulmonary contusions, cardiac tamponade, cardiac rupture and many others. The authors of the article would like to emphasize the pathophysiology and diagnostic difficulties in such blunt chest trauma complications as pulmonary contusions and acute respiratory distress syndrome, for which no causal treatment is available and only early diagnosis and administration of symptomatic treatment may increase the patients' chances to survive. In Forensic Medicine Department, Medical University of Lódz, an opinion was issued on a case which illustrates the clinical problem.

[Myocarditis in two cases of HIV infection]. / Zapalenie miesnia sercowego w dwóch przypadkach zakazenia wirusem HIV.

The authors present two cases of death in young persons infected with HIV virus and diagnosed with inflammatory changes of the heart muscle rarely seen in forensic medical practice. In one of the cases, only the findings revealed upon autopsy did prompt the examiner to suspect the infection, even though before death, the patient had been in several hospitals.

[Oxidative stress parameter analysis in rat brains during long-term ethanol intoxication]. / Ocena parametrów stresu oksydacyjnego w mózgach szczurów przewlekle intoksykowanych etanolem.

The aim of this research was to define the influence of long-term ethanol intoxication on the changes in end products of lipid peroxidation, reacting with thiobarbituric acid (TBA-reactive products) and free SH-groups concentrations in rat brains. The experiment was conducted on male Lewis rats. The experimental groups received a 1-molar ethanol solution and the control group received tap water. The animals were killed after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of intoxication and their brains were collected for further examination, encompassing measurement of the concentration of TBA-reactive products and free SH-groups. A statistically significant increase in the concentration of TBA-reactive products in 4th week of intoxication and decrease in the concentration of free SH-groups in 8th and 12th week of intoxication--compared to the control group--was noticed.

[Changes of the concentration of lipid peroxidation products and thiol groups in rat brains with long-term intoxication with methanol]. / Zmiany stezen produktów peroksydacji lipidów i grup tiolowych w mózgach szczurów w przebiegu przewleklej intoksykacji metanolem.

The aim of this paper was to define the influence of long-term methanol intoxication on the changes of end products of lipid peroxidation, reacting with thiobarbituric acid (TBA-reactive products) and free SH-group concentration in rat brains. The experiment was conducted on male Lewis rats. The experimental groups received a 1-molar methanol solution and the control group received tap water. The animals were killed after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of intoxication and their brains were collected for further examination, which encompassed measurement of the concentration of TBA-reactive products and free SH-groups. The revealed changes of TBA-reactive products and free SH-group concentration were not statistically significant.

[Selected alcohols on the pro- and anti-oxidative processes in rat erythrocytes]. / Wplyw wybranych alkoholi na procesy pro- i antyoksydacyjne w krwinkach czerwonych szczurów.

In forensic medicine practice poisonings are rather frequent, and among them, those caused by fatal "substitution" of ethyl alcohol. One of the most frequently encountered "substitutes" for ethyl alcohol is methanol. The purpose of our research was to determine the concentration of malonic dialdehyde as the expression of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activity after dosed chronic ethyl and methyl alcohol intoxication. The experiment was conducted on approx. 6 month-old male inbred Lewis rats each weighing approx. 250 g. Ethanol and methanol solution was given in the concentration 1.0 M. The control group of rats received water. Each experimental group numbered 30 rats, this number was divided into three sub-groups, which were put-down at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The activity of superoxide dismutase (CuZu-SOD) was determined by the Misra-Fridovich method, catalase (CAT) by the Beers-Sizer method. The concentration of malonic dialdehyde (MDA) was determined using the method of Placer et al. by assessing the concentration of TBARS compounds. Results are expressed as a mean +/- SD. The paired Student's test for small groups were used. Superoxide dismutase SOD1 activity decreased compared with the control group throughout the duration of the experiment from 2212 U/gHb to 1676 U/gHb for ethanol and from 2212 U/gHb to 945 U/gHb for methanol. Catalase activity for methanol decreased from 9.1 U/gHb to 5.1 U/gHb, for ethanol to 7.4 U/gHb. In the 4th week of the experiment increase of malonyl dialdehyde concentration for methanol group was observed--from 0.14 umol/gHb to 0.34 umol/Hb; after 8th weeks it decreased to 0.2 umol/gHb and in the 12th week increased to 0.23 umol/gHb. For ethanol these changes was less visible and reached the level of 0.24 umol/l. The statistical processing of the results was performed on the basis of parametric tests (the t-Student test for small experiments) and computer software Statistica. The statistical significance was set for p<0.05.

[Long-term realistically life-threatening disease]. / Dlugotrwala choroba realnie zagrazajqca zyciu.

In this paper the authors discuss a legal code description of a wrongly included (as a result of a legislative error) "long-term really life-threatening disease" (dlugotrwala choroba realnie zagrazajaca zyciu) in the Criminal Code. This category of disease impossible to apply in practice since its terms "long-term" and "realistically life-threatening" are mutually exclusive--is nonetheless applicable to crimes committed from Sept. 1, 1998 to Dec. 8, 2003. In effect this causes a change in the qualification of certain acts in Art. 156 of the Criminal Code, to include those in Art. 157, Paragraph 1, and in some cases, even extending to acts named in Art. 157, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.

[Myocardial infarction as a work accident in Polish Supreme Court decisions. Part I. Excessive stress at work]. / Zawal serca jako wypadek przy pracy w orzecznictwie sadu najwyzszego. Czesc I. Nadmierne obciazenie wykonywana praca.

This paper deals with Polish Supreme Court opinions on the acceptance of myocardial infarction as work accident. From them the principle emerges that excessive physical or mental work stress can be accepted as the external cause of myocardial infarction in an employee, whereby the excess strain should be judged in each case individually and with reference to the individual situation.

[Myocardial infarction as a work accident in Polish Supreme Court decisions. Part II. Job contraindications due to an employee's state of health]. / Zawal serca jako wypadek przy pracy w orzecznictwie Sadu Najwyzszego. Czesc II. Wykonywanie pracy przeciwwskazanej ze wzgledu na stan zdrowia.

This paper presents the second part on opinions given by the Polish Supreme Court on the acceptance of myocardial infarction as work accident. This it can be seen that, in certain cases, the judgements of the Court are contradictory. For in some cases, an external cause is recognized in the act of permitting employees to work whose state of health would contraindicate the performance of their duties, while in others, the principle is accepted that work duties not considered harmful for healthy people cannot be deemed an external cause for people with health problems. An external cause according to the Supreme Court may also be the act of allowing an employee to work without a valid medical examination, or even by not conducting routine required work-related medical examinations on time.

[Effect of ethylene glycol on antioxidative enzymes and lipid peroxidation activity in erythrocytes]. / Wplyw glikolu etylenowego na aktywnosc enzymów antyoksydacyjnych i peroksydacje lipidów w erytrocytach.

Investigations were aimed at demonstrating changes in the activity of enzymes forming an antioxidative barrier and oxidative stress parameters in erythrocytes of rats which were administrated ethylene glycol during 4 weeks. Superoxide dismutase activity (CuZn-SOD) was evaluated by the Misra and Fridovich method, catalase (EC1.11.1.6.) by the Beers and Sizer method and malonyl dialdehyde concentration (MDA) with Placer et all were assessed in the obtained material through the evaluation of TBARS compounds concentration. In the 4th week of the experiment a decrease in catalase (9.3 U/gHb to 5.7 U/gHb) and superoxide dismutase (2378 U/gHb to 1759 U/gHb) activity was observed. Malonyl dialdehyde concentration increased from the initial 0.14 mumol/gHb to 0.24 mumol/gHb. The investigations carried out have demonstrated that long-term intoxication with ethylene glycol leads to a constant generation of free radicals (increase of MDA concentration) and gradual exhaustion of the antioxidative system.

[Analysis of selected changes in project the penal code]. / Analiza wybranych zmian w projekcie kodeksu karnego.

In this paper the authors have analysed selected proposals of changes in the project of amendments in the penal code. Special attention has been placed on problem of the legality of the "comma" in art. 156 of the penal code. In this matter also a review of court jurisdiction has been made.