[Histomorphological alterations of lung after strangulation. A comparative experimental study (author's transl)]

It was investigated by animal experiments (50 rats, 15 rabbits) if histomorphological vital reactions can be found in the lung after strangulation and how far these findings differ from other violent causes of death with comparatively short survival period. Besides strangulation by ligature the animals were killed by overdose of ether, chloroform, pentobarbitone, and ketaminehydrochloride; gasing with propane and nitrogen; suffocation in a small closed box; thoracic compression; injection of KCN i.p.; decapitation, blunt force; electric current; cardiac injection of KCL. In comparison with the controls the striking findings after strangulation consisted of a qualitatively and quantitatively considerable hemorrhagic syndrome and an edema of all compartments of the lung which was frequently hemorrhagic, too. The authors award specific significance to the alveolar-septal edema which was found in semithin sections (and electron-microscopically)--which never occurred in the controls.