Citation

Bux R, Stengel PD, Schnabel A. Forensic Sci. Int. 2006; 163(1-2): 115-118.

Affiliation

Centre of Legal Medicine, J.W. Goethe University, Kennedyallee 104, D-60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. bux@em.uni-frankfurt.de

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.11.018

PMID

16376503

Abstract

The effect of post mortem contact of the skin with petrol was investigated in 18 corpses with exposure times between 10 min and 24 h. The earliest onset of skin changes was observed within 2 h of exposure. They consisted of swelling and wrinkling with detachment of the upper layers of the skin (positive Nikolski's sign). Histologically the lesions appeared as non-vital acantholyses located in the prickle-cell layer with formation of intra-epidermal bullae. An influence of age and sex could be excluded, the earlier onset of lesions at 22 degrees C than at 4 degrees C was not statistically significant. These findings prove that post mortem petrol exposure may lead to dermal lesions.

Language: en