Biomedical subjects

S Pollak

Publications and source records attributed to S Pollak.

188 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

[Manifestations of screwdriver injuries].

Report on three homicides, in which apart from other kinds of mechanical traumas there were also injuries due to stabs with a screwdriver; in one case a screwdriver with a cross-shaped tip was used; in the two other cases the weapon was a regular blade screwdriver with a single-edged tip. Supplementing the systematic studies by Brinkmann and Kleiber (Arch. Kriminol. 161, 31-40 [1978]) several other findings concerning screwdriver injuries are reported; non-penetrating impact lesions of the skin with contusion of the underlying subcutis, reddish streaks consisting of intracutaneous hemorrhages in the width of the screwdriver tip (after tangential slipping), bone lesions typical of the tool. If certain locations are hit (e.g. the region of the ear) piercing injuries are also possible. Injuries of the hands show that the victim tried to defend himself and that the stab was inflicted while the victim was still able to act.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Postmortem diagnosis of exogenous insulin administration].

Toxicological analyses are presented in connection with the decrease of a 51-year-old female medical practitioner. The woman was found dead in a woodland about 250 metres far from her motor car. According to her relatives the woman had expressed her intention to commit suicide. Two single use syringes, two empty (300 units) cartridges intermediate type human insulin, and one empty ampoule of 10 mg diazepam were found near the corpse. The toxicological analyses of the heart-blood resulted in 210 ng diazepam/ml, 382 mu units/ml insulin and 0.58 ng/ml C-peptide. After extraction of a tissue sample from the injection area (cubital region) 113 milliunits insulin could be detected by radioimmunoassay. The insulin concentration in relation to the C-peptide concentration in the blood of the corpse indicated an exogenous supply of insulin. The HbA1c and fructosamine data in the blood and the histological examination of the pancreas showed that the woman had not suffered from diabetes.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Marks on clothing and skin in absolutely and relatively close distance gunshots with fright weapons].

Based on an actual case to be examined-the victim had sustained burning and powder tattooing of the abdominal skin--test shots were performed with blank cartridge guns (Mauser and Umarex revolvers, cal. 380) in order to study the changes occurring on textiles in the area of contact and close range shots. As expected, the extent of burning and smoke soiling depended on whether the propellant of the blank cartridges consisted of nitrocellulose (Nc) or black powder. At the same distance the smokeless nitro-powder caused less soot soiling and burning than black powder. Contact or near contact shots produced tear-like tissue damages due to the pressure of the discharged muzzle gases. When black powder cartridges were used, burn holes larger than the caliber were observed; with Nc blank cartridges the thermal effects were most pronounced if textiles made of thermolabile synthetics were shot at.

Abdominal Injuries↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Suicide or fatal accident in fantasy play?].

The death by drowning of a 25-year-old man is reported, whose putrescent body was found drifting on the surface of an artificial lake. The deceased was dressed in a coat of chain-mail and trousers of the same material. The chain-mail clothing, which had a weight of 20 kg, reminded one of a knight's armour; it had been made by the wearer himself. Around the neck there were several turns of a chain running down to the legs and tying them together. According to the police investigations it is to be assumed that the man went out on the lake in a rubber boat and then pierced the air chambers of the boat with a knife. The possible background of the case in context with the special liking for fantasy games is discussed.

Accidents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Suicidal stab wounds through clothing].

Most authors of medico-legal textbooks emphasize that suicides bare the chest before self-infliction of stab wounds and vice versa that cuts in the clothing indicate homicide. The paper presents three cases of suicidal stabs to the chest and/or abdomen with concomitant damage to the clothing.

Abdominal Injuries↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Undiagnosed bronchus carcinomas as the cause of sudden and unexpected fatalities].

Cases of sudden death accompanied by impressive external bleeding may arouse suspicion of violence. On the other hand fatal hemorrhages from the respiratory tract can be caused by injuries as well as by diseases. In the age of successfully treated tuberculosis the majority of pulmonary hemorrhages is based on bronchogenic carcinomas. Examples of fatal bleeding from malignant tumours of the bronchus show the variety of morphological substrates giving rise to these hemorrhages: e.g. aneurysma-like dissection of pulmonary arteries infiltrated by bronchogenic carcinoma, leukocytoclastic destruction of vessel walls surrounded by tumour necrosis, and arrosion of small arteries in the tumour region which leads to massive hemorrhage owing to anticoagulant therapy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Suicidal gunshots through the mouth in patients with dental prostheses].

An analysis of the forensic autopsies performed in Freiburg showed that 21% of the suicides by shooting involved a shot into the mouth. Persons in their 7th and 8th decade of life accounted for 11% of the suicides by shooting. In this age the percentage of denture-wearers is particularly high. Accordingly gunshot-related damages of complete or partial dentures are likely to be seen in forensic practice. These may involve both the denture base (mostly consisting of polymethyl methacrylate) and the teeth (made of synthetic or ceramic material). At autopsies the following findings could be seen; entry defect in the palatal part of the maxillary prosthesis larger than the calibre, funnel-shaped widening (bevelling) of the gunshot hole on the palatal side, fracture lines in the denture base radiating from the gunshot hole, injuries in the palatal soft tissues due to denture fragments, fractures of the front teeth region of the prosthesis due to the recoil impact of the foresight as well as soot soiling of the denture base and the lingual surfaces of the front teeth. The findings observed in autopsies could be experimentally reproduced by test shots on isolated complete maxillary prostheses.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Simulated suicide by hanging after homicidal strangulation].

Homicides by hanging and the simulation of suicide by hanging a victim previously killed or made unable to resist by other means are regarded as extremely rare events, although especially in German forensic literature cases of this kind were repeatedly reported. The paper adds another example to the number of observations published so far: A 23-year-old student strangled his 58-year-old father with an electric cable until he ceased to show any signs of life. Then he hanged the victim at the handrail of the staircase with a running noose. From the forensic point of view the following clues pointed to homicide: presence of massive signs of facial congestion in spite of the "typical" situation of hanging, horizontal ligature mark in addition to the noose mark, skin injuries at the head and the upper extremities, traces of blood near the place where the body was found. The case history presented emphasizes again that for differential diagnosis the possibility of a dissimulated homicide has to be considered in all cases where a body is found suspended.

Adult↗