L.A. King

Poisoning-associated Deaths for England and Wales between 1973 and 1980

1 The annual number of deaths in England and Wales associated with poisoning by solids and liquids over the 8-year period between 1973 and 1980 has remained fairly constant with an average of 2897. 2 Marked trends in the number of deaths associated with specific drugs are evident and apparently reflect prescription trends and drug availability. 3 Barbiturate poisonings dropped steadily following the downward trend in barbiturate prescriptions. 4 Deaths associated with dextropropoxyphene, paracetamol and certain benzodiazepines increased dramatically.

Identification of Oenanthotoxin and Related Compounds in Hemlock Water Dropwort Poisoning

1 The case histories are presented of three separate incidents of poisoning by ingestion of Hemlock Water Dropwort tubers (Oenanthe crocata). Two of these cases involved a fatality. 2 An analytical profile is provided for oenanthotoxin, the major toxic principal of the tubers. Chromatographic, spectroscopic and mass spectral data for related compounds are also given.

Effect of Ethanol in Fatal Carbon Monoxide Poisonings

It is well-known that the concomitant ingestion of ethanol increases the toxicity of those drugs which act as depressants of the central nervous system (CNS). It has been shown, for example, that in fatal poisonings involving dextropropoxyphene, amitriptyline, pentobarbitone or chlormethiazole, the presence of ethanol causes a decrease in the concentration of the drug at which a given proportion of fatalities

The Identification of Anti-Parasitic Antibodies in Bloodstains Using an Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Technique

Antibodies to specific parasites may be readily detected in eluates of dried bloodstains. The method is based upon the reaction of a serum antibody with an antigen on a microscope slide. The presence of a positive reaction is visualized by fluorescence microscopy after reacting the antigen-antibody complex withfluorescein-labelled anti-human immunoglobulin. The frequency of antibodies to five antigens in a random sample of bloodstains has been obtained and the Discriminating Power of these five alone is found to be better than that achieved by the ABO blood grouping system. Other applications of the technique in forensic biology are briefly discussed.

The Morphology and Occurrence of Human Hair Sheath Cells

Abstract A majority of plucked hairs were found not to bear sheath cells but the incidence of sheaths increased with the rate of removal of the hair. Sheath cells were also found on some shed hairs. Plucked hairs were largey in the anagen (growth) phase whereas shed hairs were largely in the telogen (resting) phase. The ratio of hairs in each phase thus provides, for bulk samples, a good indication as to whether the hairs have been forcibly removed. With regard to individual hairs, the only certain conclusion is that hairs Which have no sheath cella and are in the telogen phase have fallen out naturally.

The Detection of Allergen-Associated Antibodies in Bloodstains

A radio-immunoassay was used to detect the antibodies responsible for allergies (e.g., hay fever). It was found that these antibodies, which belong to the Ig E class of immunoglobulins, could be recovered from bloodstains. A small blind trial involving duplicate bloodstains from six individuals was conducted successfully. The stains were divided into a reference set and a coded set. Characterisation of the stains with four allergens enabled each member of the coded set to be identified correctly. The technique described here enables information to be obtained from a bloodstain which relates to an individuals susceptibility to allergens. The usefulness of this information to an investigating officer is discussed.

Antibody profiling of bloodstains

The detection and measurement of antibodies in bloodstains represents a departure from the classical blood grouping used routinely in forensic serology. The antibodies in question are those associated with atopic allergy and infections by micro-organisms and other parasites. The production of these antibodies is not primarily under genetic control but reflects an individuals reaction to his environment. This paper describes the explicit information which may be obtained from an antibody profile, the high discriminating power and other advantages of the method.

Thermodynamic Interpretation of Synergism in Barbiturate/ Ethanol Poisoning

Ethanol and barbiturate drugs behave as non-specific depressants of the central nervous system (Ferguson substances). Their interaction can therefore be understood quantitatively by the application of thermodynamic theory. It is unnecessary to postulate specific biochemical mechanisms for the observed synergism. A similar situation should exist for any pair of Ferguson substances.

The differentiation of an adult's bloodstain from that of a child using an indirect fluorescent antibody technique

A procedure is described for the detection of specific antimicrobial antibodies in bloodstains. The technique is described and the relationship between antibody concentration and the age of the doner is reported. It is shown that, provided foetal blood can be excluded, an unknown bloodstain may be identified as that of a person over 15 years with a high degree of confidence.

Sexing of Hair Sheath Cells Using Y-Chromosome Fluorescence

The reliability of identifying Y-bodies in hair sheath cells has been examined by two blind trials and two operators. Ninety percent of hairs from males showed a Y-cell index greater than 25% whereas all hairs from females had a Y-cell index of less than 20%.