[Forensic medicine aspects of death caused by hypothermia in high altitude]

Macro- and micromorphological findings in cases of death from hypothermia are very questionable and unreliable diagnostical signs. We investigated 42 cases of death from hypothermia that occurred in mountain-ranges between 1974 and 1990. All cases showed erosions of the gastric mucosa ("Wischnewsky-spots"), in one case only we found bleedings in the ileopsoas muscles. In most cases hypothermia was based on natural disease or intoxication. Nine alcoholized persons showed a mean alcohol concentration in the blood of 1.07% and in accordance to a relatively long agonal period the alcohol concentration in urine was considerably higher.