[At first a clear case: homicide by injury to the neck]. / Zunächst ein klarer Fall: Tötung durch Angriff gegen den Hals.

Reported is of a 33 year old female found dead in the basement of her home, manifesting strangulation/throttling marks on the neck. The attack on the throat was, however, not cause of death but a CO intoxication. This woman was killed by direct inhalation of 99% carbon monoxid administered by her husband (via a mask or hose). The carbon monoxid was obtained from a gas cylinder normally used for medical purposes.

[Cannabinoid intake by passive smoking]. / Cannabinoid-Aufnahme durch Passivrauchen.

The presence of cannabinoids in the urine can be produced by passive inhalation of hashish resp. marihuana smoke. The height depends on the intensity of exposure. Under extreme conditions concentrations between 40 to 50 ng/ml of cannabinoids had been found in the urine. In regard to the maximum variation-coefficient of the immunoassay methods, which is about 30%, we think it is useful to define a threshold value of 65 ng/ml of cannabinoids to distinguish between active and passive inhalation.

[Fatal poisonings with propoxur]. / Tödliche Vergiftungen mit Propoxur.

The insecticide propoxur (2-isopropoxyphenyl-N-methylcarbamate) acts by blocking cholinesterase. This inhibition is fast and, unlike that brought about by organophosphorus compounds, reversible. The toxicity of propoxur to man is stated to be low compared with that of parathion. Only a small number of fatal intoxications have been published; at the Würzburg University Institute of Legal Medicine eight cases have been observed since 1978. In seven cases death occurred after deliberate oral ingestion of solutions of propoxur with suicidal intent, while in the other, intoxication was accidental, following inhalation of an aerosol containing propoxur. Organs and body fluids were investigated toxicologically and histologically. The results are presented and discussed. Special attention is paid to the combination of propoxur and alcohol.

[Quantitative determination of ethylene glycol using head-space chromatography]. / Die quantitative Bestimmung von Athylenglykol durch Head-Space-Gaschromatographie.

A simple, easy to do, and precise method in the determination of ethylene glycol in biological material is presented. After oxidation of ethylene glycol with sodiummetaperjodate is the resulting formaldehyde with sodium-borhydride to methanol reduced. The stoechiometric amount of resulting methanol is determined by Head-Space-Gaschromatography. The determination is made with peakheight method.