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    Poisoning Toxicology

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    Selena Moon
    This document outlines general principles of poisoning including types (acute, chronic, cumulative), symptoms and signs, effects, and evidence of poisoning. It discusses medical and legal points of view on poisoning (accidental, suicidal, homicidal, undetermined). Key evidence to preserve in fatal and non-fatal poisoning cases is described, including stomach contents, liver, kidneys, blood, and prescription containers. The importance of establishing a legal chain of custody for evidence is also noted.

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    Poisoning Toxicology

    Uploaded by

    Selena Moon
    59 views2 pages
    This document outlines general principles of poisoning including types (acute, chronic, cumulative), symptoms and signs, effects, and evidence of poisoning. It discusses medical and legal points of view on poisoning (accidental, suicidal, homicidal, undetermined). Key evidence to preserve in fatal and non-fatal poisoning cases is described, including stomach contents, liver, kidneys, blood, and prescription containers. The importance of establishing a legal chain of custody for evidence is also noted.

    Original Title

    POISONING-TOXICOLOGY

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    This document outlines general principles of poisoning including types (acute, chronic, cumulative), symptoms and signs, effects, and evidence of poisoning. It discusses medical and legal points of view on poisoning (accidental, suicidal, homicidal, undetermined). Key evidence to preserve in fatal and non-fatal poisoning cases is described, including stomach contents, liver, kidneys, blood, and prescription containers. The importance of establishing a legal chain of custody for evidence is also noted.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    59 views2 pages

    Poisoning Toxicology

    Uploaded by

    Selena Moon
    This document outlines general principles of poisoning including types (acute, chronic, cumulative), symptoms and signs, effects, and evidence of poisoning. It discusses medical and legal points of view on poisoning (accidental, suicidal, homicidal, undetermined). Key evidence to preserve in fatal and non-fatal poisoning cases is described, including stomach contents, liver, kidneys, blood, and prescription containers. The importance of establishing a legal chain of custody for evidence is also noted.

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    GENERAL PRINCIPLES SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

    I. POISONING - Effects stated or observed, produced by the


    action of a particular poison on the physiologic
    TYPES OF POISONING
    functions of the body
    A. MEDICAL POINT OF VIEW
    COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
    1. Acute Poisoning
    – Headache
    - Is produced by taking an excessive single dose of a
    – Nausea
    poison or several small doses with such frequency as to
    result in prompt and marked disturbance of function or – Vomiting
    death within a definite period.
    – Upset GI
    Examples:
    – Muscle Weakness
     Nitrobenzene – 8 – 15gtt (fatal)
    POISONING EFFECT
     ASA – 62mg – 80mg
    • Local Poisoning
    2. Chronic Poisoning
    - Impressions made directly by the poison upon
    - Is produced by taking or absorbing for protracted the contact ( corrosives, irritation or
    period small doses of a poison, thereby producing inflammation)
    gradual but progressive deterioration of function of
    Examples: corrosives – alkaline and acids
    tissue.
    • Remotes poisoning
    Examples:
    - Influencing other than the contact
     Lead
    EVIDENCES OF POISONING
     morphine
    CIRCUMSTANTIAL/MORAL EVIDENCE
    3. Cumulative Poisoning
    • Attributed by the circumstances or deduced from
    - Sudden intensity of effects
    various occurrences and facts, motives for
    Examples: poisoning, possession or purchase of poison.
     Heavy metals (Hg, Pb, As) SYMPTOMATIC EVIDENCE
    B. LEGAL POINT OF VIEW • Contributed by the symptoms.
    1. Accidental- taken without intention to cause death. It • It may be subjective or objectives.
    may be taken by mistake or without knowing that is
    • Not conclusive
    poisonous.
    • Example: Arsenic poisoning and cholera give
    2. Suicidal- taken by the victim voluntarily for the
    similar symptoms
    purpose of taking his own life
    CHEMICAL EVIDENCE
    3. Homicidal- Given willfully, wantonly, and with intent
    to cause death to the victim • Obtained by means of chemical analyses if the
    substance supposed to have caused the
    4. Undetermined- History is hazy as to how the poison
    poisoning, or what has been vomited, or of
    was obtained and why it was administered
    material found in the secretion.
    • Not reliable. Why? Because the poison may be
    decomposed, or the chemical investigation is
    interfered with the presence of certain ptomaine
    SYMPTOMS OF POISONING
    POST MORTEM EVIDENCE
    • Obtained by an examination of the organs and 3. Blood (10-50ml)
    tissues of the body after death
    4. Vomitus and first 2 gastric washings
    EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE
    5. Feces
    • Obtained by administering the suspected
    6. Body fat
    substances to some living animal and observing
    the effects 7. Hair clippings
    • Testing animal: 8. Clippings of fingernails and toenails
    Dogs 9. Food
    Cats B. EVIDENCES TO BE SAVED IN FATAL
    POISONING
    Rabbits and Frogs
    1. Stomach and contents
    DIAGNOSIS AND EVALUATION
    2. Liver (at least ½)
    3 CATEGORIES
    3. Kidneys (at least 1)
    • Exposure to a known poison
    4. Blood ( 50-100ml)
    • Exposure to an unknown substance that may be
    a poison 5. Bone
    • Disease of undetermined cause in which 6. Lung(at least 1)
    poisoning must be considered as part of the
    differential diagnosis 7. Brain (1/2)

    DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP C. LEGAL CHAIN OF CUSTODY

    • CONSIST: • In cases of poisoning in which specimens are


    medicolegal importance, the physician must use
    - A complete history care to establish a legal chain of custody so that
    each person having responsibility for the
    - Complete physical examination
    material can state oath that it has not been
    - Appropriate laboratory tests contaminated or tampered with.
    PREVENTION
    • Education
    • Proper instruction
    • “keep things out of the reach of small children

    PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE
    A. EVIDENCES TO BE SAVED IN NON FATAL
    POISONING
    1. Prescription containers or other containers from
    which the poison was obtained
    2. Urine (24hr specimen)

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