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Related Experiment Videos

An unusual morphine fatality

B Levine1, S C Wu, A M Dixon

  • 1Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of Maryland 21201, Forensic Science Center, Baltimore, MD.

Forensic Science International
|March 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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An unauthorized morphine dose administered to a nursing home resident led to a homicide investigation. Toxicological analysis confirmed lethal morphine levels, changing the cause of death from natural to homicide.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Clinical Pathology

Background:

  • A nursing home resident's death initially presumed natural prompted further investigation.
  • Suspicion arose regarding an unauthorized administration of morphine prior to death.

Observation:

  • An exhumation and autopsy were performed on the embalmed body.
  • Toxicological analysis of liver specimens was conducted using radioimmunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Findings:

  • The liver contained 1.5 mg/kg of free morphine.
  • This concentration was consistent with lethal levels based on literature and in-house data from narcotic deaths.

Implications:

  • The findings indicate that the morphine administration was not accidental but intentional.

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  • The manner of death was officially classified as homicide, highlighting potential criminal activity in a healthcare setting.