[Sudden death after "home electrotherapy"]. / Plötzlicher Tod nach "häuslicher Elektrobehandlung".

The authors report a case of homicide by misadventure caused with electricity; a 68 years old man (who was bed-ridden because of hemiplegia following apoplexy) was "treated" with electricity by his son and son-in-law. The electricity was produced by the continuous operation of a moped and as in ECG examinations the electrodes were attached to his extremities. Following the second treatment his death was due to cerebral haemorrhage and partial aspiration of gastric content. The causal relation between the electric treatment and the death could be established. In connection with this case the authors discuss the aspects of medical expertise and emphasize the importance of complex expert examination that must be made in such cases.