Juha Rainio

Cocaine found in a child’s hair due to environmental exposure?

We report a case of a 6-year-old boy who had been living with his parents, both cocaine smokers, and who was urgently admitted to hospital for general distress. Upon examination, cocaine and cocaine metabolites were detected in hair and urine samples. These toxicological findings most likely indicate that the child had passively consumed the drug when living in a heavily contaminated environment.

Objective post-mortem diagnosis of chronic alcohol abuse--a review of studies on new markers.

Identification of chronic excessive alcohol consumption in living and deceased individuals is a fundamental task in forensic pathology. Reliable methods for post-mortem diagnosis of chronic alcohol abuse are required because morphological findings are unspecific and ante-mortem data are often unreliable. In clinical practice, several biochemical markers indirectly demonstrating chronic alcohol abuse are employed, but thus far these methods have not been used in routine post-mortem investigations. We reviewed publications in which these markers have been applied to autopsy material. Based on this review, some of these biochemical parameters are useful in post-mortem diagnostics, although further systematic research is required.

1. Dissection of the Vertebral Artery During a Basketball Game

Dissection of the vertebral artery represents a significant potential cause of strokes among young and middle-aged people. We present a case of dissection of the vertebral artery observed at the forensic autopsy of a professional basketball player who was suddenly taken ill during a practice game and died seven days after the event. A medico-legal autopsy was performed in order to establish an essential causal relationship between arterial dissection and basketball activity. No preceding trauma possibly contributing to the dissection was discovered. The histology of the arterial wall did not show specific alterations in the adventitia, the muscular layer, or the intima. In addition, the toxicological examination excluded any effects of drugs of abuse. We describe macroscopic and microscopic findings in the autopsy, and discuss possible mechanisms of the arterial rupture as well as the autopsy procedure in similar cases.

Fatal blunt injuries possibly resulting from sexual abuse of a calf: a case report

We report a case of a calf-related fatality on a farm. The victim was a 60-year-old man who was possibly attempting to sexually approach the animal from behind when he was struck by it, sustaining fatal blunt injuries, mostly to the thorax. This case is reported because of its rarity and because of the particular circumstances of death. Fatal trauma associated with bovines is rare on the whole, and when it does occur it is usually caused by kicking or pushing during regular agricultural activity. Although the cause of death in our case could be determined, the circumstances and the manner of death remain speculative to some degree.

The death of Adolf Hitler--forensic aspects.

The death of Adolf Hitler is one of the unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century. Numerous historians and journalists have attempted to piece together the details, but despite the interest in the forensic literature regarding the identification of the body, there has not been much scientific debate about the alleged cause of death--cyanide poisoning, gunshot injury, or both. The available literature concerning Hitlers cause of death is incomplete because the toxicological analysis has not been performed and because the skull bone fragment with a gunshot wound possibly from Hitlers corpse has not been properly examined. This has given basis for various theories, which are reviewed. We believe that mtDNA analysis of the skull fragments and of Hitlers jaw, now filed in Moscow, and samples from maternal relatives of Hitler are crucial linking the skull fragment with the gunshot wound to Hitler.

Two entrances, one exit an atypical shotgun injury

Firearm-related injuries are a major problem worldwide and one of the central issues in forensic pathology. An atypical appearance of a gunshot wound can create surgical or medico-legal diagnostic problems. We report a case of a homicidal shotgun fatality with an unusual trajectory of pellets in the body. Two large pellets perforated the anterior chest wall near to each other but made their exit through a common wound in the back. Our report describes the results of the medico-legal investigation and discusses problems related to examination of firearm wounds.

Suicide by pencil

We report an unusual suicide, committed with a common pencil. A 72-year-old male inflicted himself a penetrating thoracic wound while being hospitalized for a hip prosthesis operation. Although the patient was immediately operated, the cardiac injury appeared to be fatal. Cases of suicidal penetrating wounds of the anterior chest wall are rare and they are mostly inflicted by knives, glass fragments, or other sharp instruments. The potential danger of a pencil should be taken into consideration, especially in psychiatric hospitals and imprisonment facilities. We examined the legislation in Italy and Finland concerning the regulation of privacy in special care institutions.

The examination and reporting of war crimes—an example from Finnish history

We present a historical example of forensic investigation of civilian victims of an armed conflict. During the Civil War in Finland in 1918, 77 external examinations with photographic documentation and 10 forensic autopsies were carried out. However, incorrect conclusions concerning post-mortem changes made by non-medical persons led into erroneous interpretations of the events. Post-mortem changes were considered to be signs of torture and post-mortem mutilation. This example demonstrates how political purposes may falsify results of a forensic investigation.