[Ethanol distribution in body fluids in the human from a forensic medicine viewpoint. Prepared as an initial study]

A comparative study of ethanol concentration was performed in body fluids of corpses. One group consisted of dead bodies without sings of putrefaction (160 cases), and the second group included 60 cases with advanced putrefaction. In the first group the concentration of ethanol in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous humour, inner ear fluid and urine (in 147 cases) was determined, whereas in the second group blood and inner car fluid was examined. The observed differences in ethanol distribution in examined materials were the basis for the development of models of ethanol distribution in the body. Distinct relations between the ethanol concentrations in blood and other fluids allow to assess the blood ethanol concentration on the basis of examination of other materials. It is important in the cases when blood is not available and putrefactional changes of blood can be a reason of misinterpretations. Such assays appear to be useful in forensic assessment of drunkness.