[Appearance of injuries caused by machetes and unusually large knives]

Machetes (Spanish-American matchets) are sharp, long knives with a broad blade having a slightly curved edge and a thick back. They are used for clearing paths in rough, densely wooded areas. Just like axes and swords they are suitable for causing not only soft tissue wounds, but also deep slashes in the underlying bone. In military conflicts (especially in Central Africa) they are often used as short-range weapons, whereas it is in the nature of things that they are rarely used in Europe. On the basis of 5 cases from the Freiburg material fatal and survived injuries caused by machetes and similarly large knives are discussed. In 2 cases long chop injuries were inflicted on the head causing sharp-edged transections of the bony skullcap; in one case in which the victim survived a broken off part of the blade lodged in the right os parietale. In another 2 cases complete and subtotal decapitation respectively occurred in the victims. As the instrument can be used both for cutting and stabbing there were not only long cutting injuries, but also gaping stab wounds severing the skin over a length of several centimetres; due to the great length of the blade through-and-through wounds were also seen on the trunk. Massive blows with the thick back of the blade caused streak-like bruising.