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[Suicidal administration of elemental arsenic]
E Logemann1, B Krützfeldt, S Pollak
1Institut für Rechtsmedizin, Universität Freiburg.
Archiv Fur Kriminologie
|March 1, 1990
Summary
A student died from suicidal arsenic poisoning, presenting with severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Despite medical interventions, elemental arsenic was detected postmortem, highlighting the toxicity of metallic arsenic ingestion.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Forensic Chemistry
Background:
- Arsenic poisoning can present with diverse symptoms.
- Metallic arsenic ingestion is rare but highly toxic.
Observation:
- A chemistry student ingested 30g of metallic arsenic, reporting severe vomiting and diarrhea.
- Medical intervention included gastric lavage, hemodialysis, and BAL antidote.
Findings:
- The patient died 48 hours after ingestion.
- Postmortem analysis detected 350mg of arsenic in gastric fluid.
- X-ray diffractometry confirmed the presence of elemental arsenic.
Implications:
- This case underscores the critical danger of metallic arsenic ingestion.
- Accurate analytical methods are vital for confirming elemental arsenic in poisoning cases.
- Understanding the clinical course aids in managing similar poisoning incidents.