Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Hanzlick

Publications and source records attributed to R Hanzlick.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Minocycline-related black thyroid.

Black pigmentation of the thyroid gland has been observed in patients chronically taking minocycline antibiotics. Pigment changes of the skin, blood vessels, and bone have also been reported. Some of these changes may be caused by traumatic or toxic etiologies, therefore persons conducting forensic death investigations need be aware of minocycline-related changes. This article reviews pigment changes of the thyroid gland and discusses the potential forensic import of such findings.

Forensic Medicine↗

A "back door" approach to analysis of ethanol-associated risks and behavior.

Ethanol has been detected in the majority of medical examiner cases involving nonnatural death and in a substantial number of natural deaths. The higher the serum alcohol concentration (SAC), the greater were the odds that death was due to external (traumatic) causes. We identified 149 medical examiner cases that were positive for ethanol and negative for 11 major drug of abuse groups, and studied those cases to further clarify ethanol-related risk factors and behaviors. Based on terms of frequency of occurrence, the data identify SACs of 201 mg% to 300 mg% as a particularly high risk factor for sudden, unexpected, traumatic death. Traumatic deaths associated with SACs below 100 mg% were infrequent, and attendant opinions concerning the contributory role of ethanol must be made with circumspection. SACs below 150 mg% could not be used to predict whether or not the decedents had been engaged in active or sedentary behavior prior to death because both situations occurred with equal frequency. At SACs between 151 mg% and 350 mg%, active situations were observed three times as often as sedentary situations. When SACs were 350 mg%, sedentary situations were observed twice as often as active situations. Suicide victims and driver fatalities rarely showed SACs above 350 mg%; therefore finding such SACs in apparent suicidal or driver fatality situations should prompt a thorough investigation to rule out other possibilities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Accidents↗

Deaths in custody. Atlanta City Jail and Fulton County Jail, 1974-1985.

A total of 53 in-custody deaths that occurred in Atlanta-Fulton County, Georgia, between 1974 and 1985 are reviewed. Custody deaths showed characteristics similar to those described in other geographical areas. The majority of deaths were due to natural causes, about one-fourth were suicides, and homicides were rare. For jails that housed a daily population of about 1,000 prisoners, an average of 4.4 deaths were observed annually. Men predominated, and racial makeup paralleled the general prison population. Seizures, alcohol-related illness, and cardiovascular disease caused over half of the natural deaths. All suicides were accomplished by hanging. Over two-thirds of the incidents that led to death occurred in the prisoner's cell, and about one-half of the victims were found dead in their cells. Two-thirds of those who died in custody had been arrested for crimes in which persons were not harmed, while nearly two-thirds of those committing suicide had been arrested for crimes against persons. Deaths in custody are expected events, and familiarity with the circumstances under which they occur should be helpful in enabling prison managers to establish policies and procedures to minimize their occurrence.

Adult↗

Suicide by hanging. A review of 56 cases.

Fifty-six consecutive cases of suicide by hanging are reviewed. The data provide some evidence for associations between suicide by hanging and youth, incarceration, black males, and clustering. Evidence was noted of low incidence in females, rarity of white female hangings at home, a preference to hang oneself away from home if there have been previous suicide attempts, and possible seasonal trends which may differ from suicide overall. Thus, aside from the method chosen, hanging victims as a group displayed some differences from suicides in general.

Adult↗

An evaluation of the use of medical examiner data for epidemiologic surveillance.

To assess the value of medical examiner (ME) data bases for use in epidemiologic surveillance, we compared data from non-injury deaths that became ME cases to all non-injury deaths occurring in 1984 among Fulton County, Georgia residents. The decedents in the ME series were younger and included a large proportion of Black males. Although not representative of all deaths in a community, ME data bases include demographic and medical information that is often difficult to collect in community studies and in other surveillance systems.

Adolescent↗

Gunshot wound with asphalt related pseudo-soot, pseudo-tattooing, and pseudo-scorching.

Artifacts which mimic the tattooing and soot deposition of close range gunshot wounds have been described as "pseudo-soot" and "pseudo-tattooing." The origin of such findings includes glass, intermediate targets, insect bites, medical manipulation, graphite, and sutures. The authors present a case of pseudo-soot and pseudo-tattooing as a result of asphalt pavement, and describe the associated entity of pseudo-scorching.

Adult↗

Unusual blunt force wound produced by a gun muzzle.

Most blunt force injuries produced by guns are associated with gun butts, and patterned, muzzle/sight impressions are usually produced by discharging firearms. An unusual and distinct forehead laceration produced by a blow with the muzzle end of a .32 caliber revolver is presented.

Adult↗