Homicidal poisoning by injection of methidathion: the first ever report.

UNLABELLED: We present the first ever case of homicidal poisoning due to injection of methidathion, an organophosphate insecticide. CASE: A 4-month-old baby presented to the emergency department with chief complaints of unconsciousness and irregular respiration. A bitter odour and an injection site with a greenish blue colouration and two bullaous lesions were noticed by the emergency department physicians. Postmortem examinations revealed a wide shiny blue colouration of the antecubital region with oedematous muscular fascia and focal liquefaction necrosis. Blood and tissue levels were positive for methidathion. Our case report emphasizes the necessity of a detailed crime scene investigation and postmortem examination for the possibility of homicide in such cases. Although injection sites may be the expected results of medical treatment, dermal lesions also may be associated with injections of toxic substances.

Deaths due to corrosive ingestion: a 10-year retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the substances used, macroscopic and microscopic autopsy findings, and the manner of corrosive ingestion deaths in Istanbul are aimed in this study. METHODS: The autopsy records of the corrosive ingestion cases in Istanbul, Turkey, between 1992 and 2001 are investigated in our retrospective descriptive study. RESULTS: The cause of death was determined as "corrosive injury" in 23 (0.089%) cases among 25,763 autopsy cases. Among these cases one was in the child age group and the corrosive substance ingestion was accidental, whereas all the other cases were adults and the ingestion was for suicidal intent. Sixteen (69.6%) of the cases were female. Nitric acid was the most frequent agent with 13 cases (56.5%). Necrosis of esophagus was determined in 19 cases (82.6%) and perforation of stomach in 11 cases (47.8%). CONCLUSION: Guidance and education are important tools for prevention from corrosive injuries, but we believe that the best weapon is to restrict easy access to corrosive agents by prohibiting the free commercialization of these most potent agents.