[The beginnings of the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bratislava]. / Zaciatky Ustavu súdneho lekárstva v Bratislave.

At the beginning of October 1919 doc. MUDr. Frantisek Prokop came to Bratislava to organize and build the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the Medical Faculty of the Comenius University. The submitted investigation, based on assembled documents, gives an account of the existence and activities of this department. The Institute had to be built from scratch; during the first years it was inadequately equipped and understaffed. In 1925 MUDr. Herman Krsek became one of the assistants and in 1935 he was awarded the title of reader in forensic medicine.

[Founding of the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bratislava]. / Vznik Ustavu súdneho lekárstva v Bratislave.

The Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Bratislava Medical School came into existence in 1919. Its founder and the first director was Professor Frantisek The study analyzes circumstances preceding the foundation. Bratislava Medical School and the Institute owe their existence to the fraternal and unselfish aid of Czech people and of progressive Czech scholars. Professor Prokop studied at the Charles University Medical School, here in Prague Institute of Forensic Medicine chose his field of work, gained deep expert knowledge and kept continuous contact and cooperation.

[Forensic-psychological analysis of attempted suicides in toxicomaniacs]. / Forenzne-psychologický rozbor samovrazedných polusov u toxikomanov.

The authors examined 70 toxicomaniacs incl. 30 who attempted suicide at least one. They analyzed the motivation and causes which made the adolescent attempt suicide. The drastic manner of attempted suicide-cutting veins of the forearm and wrist predominated ans was recored in 56.6%. 83.3% attempted suicide during acute intoxication. Mild cerebral dysfunction was observed in 43.3% of those attempting suicide. Defective behavior was recorded in the case-history of 63.3%. In 80% of those attempting suicide the family and social environment was unfavourable. Dependence on psychotropic drugs for more than one year was found in 80% and polytoxicomania in 90% of the cases. Volatile psychotropic substances cause considerable deterioration of already existing changes of personality of encephalopathic or psychopathic origin; they act probably as "hasteners" or "catalyzers" and thus condition the motivation for suicide. This fact is important in particular for forensic psychology and expert opinions on cases of completed suicide.

[Analysis of motivation in attempted suicides of sniffing addicts]. / Analýza motivácie nedokonaných samovrázd u toxikomanov sniffingového typu

The authors examined a group of 30 addicts, each of whom had attempted a suicide, once at least, irrespective of the mode of performance. They analysed the motivation and the causes leading the adolescent addicts to suicidal attempts. The suicidal attempts were shown to occur under acute intoxication in 83.3 per cent of cases. Most frequently, the mode of the suicidal attempt was drastic, as e.g. cutting the antebrachial and the wrist veins in 56.6 per cent of cases. In 43.3 per cent of cases there occurred mild encephalopathies. A history of delinquent behaviour was recorded in 63.3 per cent of cases. Eighty per cent of the addicts originated from defective families or had other adverse social conditions. In 80 per cent addiction of psychotropic substances of more than one year duration was noted. Addiction of more than one drug was recorded in 90 per cent of cases. Most probably, volatile psychotropic substances act as "accelerators" in this connection, deteriorating the personality alterations of encephalopathic and psychopathic origin already present, thus conditioning the motivation of suicidal attempts. This finding may be of significance in aiding the forensic psychology and the medicolegal expertise of realized suicides.