[Fatalities related to morphine and heroin administration]

Between 1978 and 1989 403 fatal cases (72% male; 28% female) due to morphine and/or heroin have been investigated in the Institute for Forensic Medicine of the Free University in Berlin (West). These are about 50% of all forensic drug-autopsies in Berlin (West). All cases, in which combinations of drugs and medicaments and/or drugs and alcohol could be found, are included. In 29 cases other causes of death have been found besides morphin-/heroin-concentrations. Not included are fatalities with known drug abuse, but without evidence of morphin-/heroin-concentrations. This paper presents the methods of toxicological analysing and the large variance in lung and urine results.