Citation

Rahman NA, Das S, Chaudhari VA, Nandagopal S, Badhe B. Egypt. J. Forensic Sci. 2017; 7(1): e8.

Affiliation

Department of Pathology, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Forensic Medicine Authority of Egypt, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1186/s41935-017-0002-1

PMID

28781900

PMCID

PMC5514184

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Self-poisoning usually occurs by the ingestion of a single lethal compound and majority of the poisoning cases in our country are due to the pesticides. Suicide by ingestion of more than one poisonous substance is rare except alcohol and multiple drugs. To the best of our knowledge, suicidal ingestion of a mixture of rodenticide and battery acid has not been reported before in medical literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we are discussing a case of simultaneous ingestion of two poisonous substances, i.e., aluminium phosphide and battery acid. In general, an acid is mainly locally acting while metal phosphide is a systemic poison. Features suggestive of both these poisonous substances were noticed on clinical, autopsy and histopathological examination and supported by a positive chemical analysis report of viscera. Moreover, we analysed the possible reactions which may occur between these two compounds and their by-products outside and inside our body.

CONCLUSION: In cases where, combination of poisons is suspected a proper history, meticulous autopsy and ancillary investigation including histopathogy and analytical toxicology are required to conclude the cause of death and mechanism of poisoning.

Language: en

Keywords

Aluminium phosphide; Autopsy findings; Battery acid; Chemical reaction; Poisoning; Rodenticide