[Pump-gun as a weapon. Type of injuries, prohibition of weapons]. / Pumpgun--Waffe, Verletzungsbilder, Waffenverbot.

Pumpguns are shotguns with pump action whose injuries and wound mechanisms have several special features: extremely high kinetic energy of the shot (2500 to 3500 J) frequent cases of "Krönlein shots" (exenteration of the brain) punchmark/imprint immediately adjacent to the entrance wound from the front of the pipe magazine exit wounds from buckshot may be similar to pellet entrance injuries from a distant shotgun discharge the use of various shotgun cartridges (plastic ammunition, slug bullet, various lead pellets) within the same weapon. The change in the Austrian gun law and the banning of the pumpgun in 1995 is also discussed in the article.

Injuries due to letter bombs.

In Austria in late 1993 ten letter bombs were sent to outstanding persons who have been engaged in the care of foreigners. Four of these bombs detonated, when they were opened by the addressee. The remaining six bombs were discovered in time and could be deactivated by specialists. The construction of these bombs and the lesions sustained by the four victims will be discussed. The injuries mainly concerned the left hand, i.e., the hand used by right-handed persons to hold a letter when opening it. The way holding the letter was of crucial influence on the degree of injury, as with the same explosive charge (which can be assumed deducing from the investigation of the deactivated bombs) injuries varied considerably. They ranged from minor tissue-lesions to mutilated fingers and the risk of exsanguination.

Homicide by strangling or dumping with postmortem injuries after heroin poisoning?

During construction work, the corpse of a 33-year-old man, H.L., who had been missing for 2 years and 4 months, was found in the cellar of a house. Primary findings indicated an attack directed at the throat (hematomas of the soft tissue and broken larynx). The owner of the cellar claimed, however, that H.L. had died of overdose of heroin and that he had removed the body to avoid trouble with the authorities. Morphine poisoning was confirmed by chemical analysis. The case is interesting because of (a) the good condition of the corpse after over 2 years, (b) macroscopic and microscopic evidence of hematomas of the cervical soft tissue, (c) successful chemical analysis providing evidence despite a long time since death, and (d) considerations regarding the vitality of injury findings.

[Electroshock devices as weapon]. / Elektroschockgeräte als Waffe.

13 electric shock weapons were investigated. The authors measured the electrical output and observed the effects on corpses and test persons. The electric shock weapons produced only moderate pain and did not stop the disposing capacity. The electrocardiogram and the circulation parameters were not influenced. The electric shock weapons tested might have only a limited deterrent effect and might be able to cause fatal complications under circumstances. Drug use and heart disease might enhance the risk.

[6 cases of premeditated murder of adults by drowning]. / Sechs Fälle vorsätzlicher Tötung Erwachsener durch Ertränken.

Premeditated murder of adults by drowning is rare and hard to investigate. Six cases are reported. If the aim of the killer is homicide by drowning to begin with (primary drowning), it is usually difficult to prove as morphological findings are missing of may be insignificant and ambiguous. If, on the other hand, the killer opts for drowning only as a conclusion to a primarily differently planned assault (e.g. strangling), the finding patterns are different, and their interpretation is usually easier (secondary drowning).

Fatal impalement injuries after falls at construction sites.

Three fatal accidents suffered by men at construction sites are reported. The victims fell from a considerable height onto metal construction rods and died from impalement injuries. The particular features of wound morphology are discussed. The influence of alcohol and medicines is also considered as a contributory cause of the falls.

'Oral hygiene'--a method of killing in a medical setting.

'Oral hygiene' is a routine nursing care procedure used in the treatment of critically ill patients. In the course of their confessions the women accused of the homicides at the Lainz Hospital in Vienna admitted having applied another form of 'oral hygiene'. About 250 ml of tap water was administered per os into the airways of severely ill and comatose patients, and death occurred about one hour later. Pathophysiological investigations have shown that this procedure is a suitable method of killing comatose patients with pulmonary impairment. Possible findings and the problems of detection on the corpse are discussed.

Assault and homicide by chop blows: a series of 11 cases.

In a series of robberies, 11 elderly women living alone were attacked by an assailant (HS) by means of chop blows directed primarily at the throat, but also at the head, neck, and thorax. 5 died of their injuries. 1 died immediately after the assault. The other 4 victims survived for between 7-38 days. As a result of the injuries incurred, the women were confused, physically weakened and confined to bed, and eventually died from pneumonia. Their death was thus casually related to the violence sustained. Extensive haematomas of the scalp and cervical soft tissue were present. In 3 cases there were injuries to the laryngeal skeleton and adjacent soft tissue. In 2 cases there were conjunctival haemorrhages. The other 6 attacks were not fatal. The blows led to transient unconsciousness, which often resulted in a state of confusion, sometimes mimicking cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). Of other injuries, craniofacial haematomas were the most common. These cases are reviewed in this paper.

[Serial homicide in the Vienna-Lainz hospital]. / Die Mordserie im Krankenhaus Wien-Lainz.

Report on many cases of murder (the indictment included 41 cases) in the Clinical Centre of Lainz in Vienna. Two of the accused nurses were sentenced to life imprisonment, the other two to 15 and 12 years respectively. The operating modes are presented: intravenous administration of flunitrazepam, so called "oral hygiene", which proved to be forced aspiration of water, and injection of insulin. Possibilities of preventive measures against murder in hospital are discussed.

[Reliability of the Alco-Screen dip strips in evaluation of blood alcohol concentration for clinical or forensic studies]. / Zur Verlässlichkeit der Alco-Screen-Streifentests bei der Kontrolle der Blutalkoholkonzentration für klinische oder gerichtsmedizinische Untersuchungen.

We tested the accuracy of Alco-Screen dipsticks in comparison to the values of blood alcohol. The dipstick test is based on the reaction of alcohol-dehydrogenase, developing a green to blue color. Saliva as well as urine and liquor are easy to obtain at autopsies. We did not get any false-negative results. Interpretation of the change of color turned out to be a problem, because the tip appeared often to be inhomogenous. The dipstick could be used at autopsies and for emergency units, if a quick, semiquantitative result is required.

[Medical and technical aspects of weapon effects on man. Part 5--Common weapons]. / Medizinische und technische Aspekte der Waffenwirkung am Menschen. Teil 5--Gelegenheitswaffen.

"Weapons at hand" are tools of everyday life, which can be used as instruments for fighting. The investigation offers a survey concerning instruments, which were actually used for conflicting bodily injuries (cases selected from 1029 expertises) or for killing (cases selected from 474 autopsies). The findings are complemented by non-medical publications about self-defence. In the Austrian legal system the use of "weapons at hand" is interpreted like weapons in the technical sense.

[Death caused by hypoglycemia after starvation--pathophysiology versus morphology]. / Tod durch Hypoglykämie nach Hungerzustand--Pathophysiologie versus Morphologie.

We describe a 19-year-old mentally retarded man who after severe starvation (criminally induced by his parents) presented with hypoglycemic coma and eventually experienced death. Biochemical findings and pathophysiology of starvation are discussed. The cause of death was hypoglycemia in combination with terminal infection. The importance of structural-functional conclusions and considerations for determination of the manner and cause of death is demonstrated.

Shots fired with silencers--a report on four cases and experimental testing.

Four cases of homicide, in which silenced firearms were used, are reported and supplemented by data from experimental investigations regarding wound features, marks, traces, and ballistic behavior. Wound features are largely determined by the construction of the silencer. In one case, even a muzzle imprint was produced by a silenced weapon fired at contact range. In general, silencers are likely to result in a decrease in bullet energy and accelerated energy release in the target (tissue). In terms of wound morphology, silencers produced a reduction in or even a lack of the contact ring (ring of dirt). In close-range and contact wounds, any features indicative of shots fired at close range were missing (such as soot deposit and powder tattooing). It is also worth mentioning that biological matter may get into the silencer in shots fired at contact range.

Gunshot wounds caused by Fiocchi Anticrime cartridges (plastic bullets).

The Fiocchi Anticrime cartridge (caliber 12/70) used for shotguns contains 15 plastic bullets that have a total weight (mass) of 15.2 g and feature a V4 of 302 m/s and an E4 of 694.7 J. Hence the bullets, which are claimed to be harmless, are able to penetrate the skin at close range. This article presents four cases of injuries. According to our tests, the Fiocchi Anticrime cartridge may well cause fatal injuries within firing distances of up to approximately 4-5 m.

[Maltreatment by police officers?]. / Misshandlung durch die Exekutive?

In January 1990 amnesty international stated a report concerning 128 cases of alleged torture by the police in Austria since december 1984. Our material consists of 31 cases, three case reports are given in detail. Problems of medical expertise are discussed. It may be difficult to rule out injuries which are caused by accident or self inflicted. Some methods of torture (certain kinds of asphyxia for example) may be impossible to trace.

[Physician's responsibility in blood transfusions]. / Zur ärztlichen Sorgfaltspflicht bei Bluttransfusionen.

Organizational and legal aspects of the blood transfusion are seen under the point of view of division of work. Interpreting the legal directions, people who are involved will be obliged to a duty of care, which is adapted to their position in the operation. A higher degree of responsibility will have to be demanded of the superior, in comparison to his subordinates.

[Sudden death caused by anorexia nervosa]. / Plötzlicher Tod infolge Anorexia nervosa.

Two cases of sudden unexpected death at home (girl 16 year-old, woman 26 year-old) are reported. Both persons suffered from anorexia nervosa. Morphological investigation revealed heart atrophy as well as atrophy of other organs (striped muscle, spleen, mammary glands, ovaries, skin). Also lipofuscin accumulation (myocardium, liver, spleen) was noted. Especially conspicuous was serous (gelatinous) atrophy of fatty tissue. Anorexia nervosa is a common psychiatric disorder, therefore legal consequences--especially treatment without patient's consent--have to be considered. The legal situation in Austria is discussed. Concerning the 16 year-old girl the authors think that medical malpractice and carelessness of the parents were involved.

[Simulation of terrorist attacks and incidents as an aid in investigating and reconstructing homicides of political significance]. / Die Simulation von Terroranschlägen und Attentaten als Hilfsmittel zur Aufklärung und Rekonstruktion von Tötungsdelikten mit politischer Tragweite.

The investigation of political motivated crimes and terrorist attacks requires also methods which include aspects of public relations. We present a simulation method which is useful for investigation of crimes and furthermore for giving evidence in court and also information to the public.

[Medical and technical aspects of weapon effects. IV. Plastic bullets reduce the risk of the military assault rifle (StG 77)]. / Medizinische und technische Aspekte der Waffenwirkung. IV. Kunststoffgeschosse verminderter Gefährlichkeit für das Sturmgewehr (StG 77).

56 x 45 mm Rota-ammunition was introduced to meet the requirements of security personnel at prisons. The Austrian military assault rifle (StG 77) can be used for this ammunition. The bullet consists of an X-ray dense plastic material with a weight of 1.6 g. Therefore the kinetic energy of this projectile is lower than that of the standard ammunition, also on its flight it loses velocity at a higher rate. Thus, this bullet has the advantage of being less dangerous over long distances (500 m versus 2500 m or more) but still offers at short distances (fe 10 m) a reasonable capacity of incapacitation. Tests concerning ballistics, penetration and shooting at gelatine and soap targets were performed. By means of these tests we compared the wounding capacity of the standard ammunition (5.56 x 45 mm S-cartridge) and the investigated Rota-ammunition.

[Unusual motor ability in gunshot injury of the heart caused by a shotgun]. / Ungewöhnliche Handlungsfähigkeit bei Herzdurchschuss durch Schrotgarbe.

In a case of shotgun-injury of the heart with complete rupture of both ventricles and lesion of the aorta the victim was able to move a few metres in approximately six seconds. Despite other opinions ability to move or act can be maintained in cases of severest injuries of the heart caused by missiles with high energy.