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Biomedical subjects

M L Taff

Publications and source records attributed to M L Taff.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Optical analyses of eyeglass lens fragments and the unexpected detection of oral sperm in a homicide case.

A homicide case in which intact spermatozoa were found in the oral cavity of the deceased forty days after his disappearance is reported. The victim's partially frozen body was found outdoors in a wooded area of upstate New York during the month of January. During a subsequent investigation, pieces of eyeglass lens fragments and bloodstains were found in the suspect's house and vehicle. Chemical and optical analyses of the lens fragments are presented as well as results of the serological tests.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Serum sickness reaction following multiple insect stings.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is the most common systemic allergic reaction caused by stinging insects. Serum sickness reactions occur much less frequently. OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of venom-specific IgG and IgE antibodies during and after a serum sickness reaction to vespid venom. METHODS: Case report; ELISA determination of venom-specific IgG and IgE; complement levels and tests for immune complexes were performed. RESULTS: We report the case of a 66-year-old woman who developed a serum sickness reaction nine days after receiving multiple vespid stings. She developed urticaria, angioedema, fever, and arthralgias. She had elevated IgG and IgE venom-specific titers which declined during the recovery phase. Complement levels were normal and tests for immune complexes were negative. She was successfully treated with venom-specific immunotherapy without any serum sickness reaction. CONCLUSIONS: A serum sickness reaction with elevated venom-specific IgG and IgE is reported with successful immunotherapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Sudden death due to self-treatment of peripheral edema with rubberband tourniquet.

A 70-year-old white male alcoholic with a history of congestive heart failure associated with peripheral edema was found dead in a pool of blood with a circumferential laceration of his right leg. A rubberband was found around the leg deep within the wound. The decedent reportedly refused medical treatment for his cardiovascular condition and treated himself by applying rubberbands and bandages around his legs to stop the spread of edema and infection.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Homicidal traumatic asphyxia associated with pebble impaction of the upper airway.

The news media tend to sensationalize murders involving multiple methods because of their inherent brutality. Similarly, when addressing a jury, prosecutors often emphasize the most grisly part of a murder to ensure a speedy conviction. This paper reports a case of a teenage boy who was murdered by the use of multiple methods of asphyxia. The methods of asphyxial death and the reconstruction of the sequence of events by the medical experts during the murder trial played an important role in the conviction and ultimate sentencing of the perpetrators.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Life masks and death masks.

The death of a relative or anyone in a small, tightly knit community with closely shared cultural and religious values has great social impact. As part of the grieving process, people wish to preserve the memory of a loved one or a community leader. Life masks and death masks have been used as art forms to mark life passages, offering permanent reminders of family and continuity with the past. This article discusses the history and technique of life and death masks and their role in 19th-century American culture.

Funeral Rites↗
PubMed1991

A case of autoerotic asphyxia associated with multiplex paraphilia.

During the past 20 years, the sensational aspects of autoerotic fatalities have captured the attention of medical examiners, psychiatrists, law enforcement agents, and the public, as well as the individuals themselves who engage in these dangerous practices. Reports of deaths related to sexual asphyxia have been presented numerous times at national and international meetings and have been the topic of discussion on television talk shows and in the press. Autoerotic fatalities and all the sexual curiosities related to these activities have prompted death scene investigators to publish case reports, and even textbooks, on the subject. The case presented herein is one of a multicomponent paraphilia in which self-asphyxiation (autoasphyxiophilia) led to a fatal autoerotic event.

Accidents↗
PubMed1991

Sudden asphyxial death due to a prolapsed esophageal fibrolipoma.

Fibrolipomas of the esophagus are extremely uncommon benign tumors. Accurate diagnosis and resection are essential, due to their tendency to become impacted and obstruct the airway. The case is presented of a 56-year-old man who died suddenly of asphyxia because of upper airway obstruction by a prolapsed fibrolipoma of the esophagus.

Asphyxia↗
PubMed1991

Sudden death of an elderly man with multiple malignant neoplasms.

With the lengthening of the human life span, cancer has become an increasingly important medical problem for the aged. It is not uncommon to find multiple primary neoplasms in elderly individuals. We recently investigated the death of an elderly man who had died suddenly and had three incidental malignant neoplasms, including a pleural mesothelioma, first diagnosed at autopsy. The importance of performing a complete medicolegal autopsy for epidemiological and statistical purposes is emphasized.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

Deaths at the workplace. Accidents or homicides?

The medical examiner is responsible for certifying and determining the cause of death of any person dying from criminal violence, accident, suicide, when unattended by a physician, in police custody, or in any suspicious or unusual manner. A less well-recognized, but no less important, responsibility of the medical examiner is the investigation of deaths of individuals who die at the workplace. The manner of death of most job-related fatalities has been traditionally classified as accidental. In recent times, prosecutors have scrutinized these cases more carefully. The results of some investigations have prompted them to bring criminal charges against employers for blatant negligence that contributed directly to injuries and deaths of employees. This paper is devoted to a review of the controversy surrounding the issue of industrial homicide, illustrative cases, and the role of the medical examiner in the investigation of deaths at the workplace.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1990

Casino-related deaths in Atlantic City, New Jersey 1982-1986.

The first legalized casino-hotel opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1978. Annually, more than 30 million people visit the "Gambling Capitol of the East Coast." As a result of this growing influx of people, the Atlantic County Medical Examiner's Office began compiling statistics in 1982 of casino-related deaths. Data on 398 casino-related deaths occurring in 1982-1986 were collected and analyzed: 83% of the total number of fatalities were sudden cardiac deaths. Most of the victims were elderly white retired men who had previously diagnosed medical conditions. Many of the victims' underlying medical problems are of a type known to be associated with compulsive gambling. The majority of deaths occurred during the afternoon hours on weekends in October, January, and May. Of the victims, 86% were from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. For Atlantic City, a gambling community known to have a relatively high rate of crime and drug-trafficking, only 1% of all deaths were homicides. We speculate that the stress of gambling activities may induce sudden cardiac death. We therefore recommend that communities planning to legalize casino gambling mandate that gambling establishments provide emergency health care services for their patrons.

Accidents↗
PubMed1990

Sudden death due to delayed rupture of hepatic subcapsular hematoma following blunt abdominal trauma.

Blunt abdominal trauma can cause sudden, unexpected death due to injuries to internal organs. Rupture of a hepatic subcapsular hematoma is a relatively rare cause of sudden death following minor blunt abdominal trauma. Death may be delayed several days to weeks. The autopsy is an invaluable diagnostic tool that can be utilized to uncover sudden deaths due to abdominal trauma. The case of an alcoholic who died of a ruptured hepatic subcapsular hematoma is presented. The death investigation revealed that the victim had sustained blunt abdominal trauma during a fall a few days prior to death.

Death, Sudden↗