Citation

Nadesan K. J. Forensic Med. Toxicol. 1998; 15(1): 53-56.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Department of Forensic Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A 39 years old engineer from Scotland was found dead inside his car in a lonely place in the out skirts of Kuala Lumpur. The engine was still running and the air condition was on when the police found the car around 4.00 pm. A plastic tube was connected to the exhaust with the other end of the tube taken into the car through the boot. The police who visited the scene first had no difficulty in deciding the cause and the manner of death. It was evident that he had committed suicide by inhalation of car exhaust fumes resulting in a carbon monoxide poisoning. Police visited his parment and found two letters, one addressed to his wife in the UK and the other to his brother-in-law explaining his motive for committing suicide. Family dispute with an impending action for divorce by his wife appeared to be the reason for suicide. Common instances of serious poisoning with carbon monoxide are from fires especially in conflagrations, automobile exhaust, defective heaters and incomplete combustion of burning products. Various aspects pertaining to carbon monoxide poisoning, such as its pathophysiology, the investigation of different types of deaths related to carbon monoxide poisoning, cause and manner of deaths, objective interpretation of the presence of carbon monoxide in body tissues and fluids are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

accident; adult; article; Automobile exhaust fumes; autopsy; carbon monoxide intoxication; Carbon monoxide poisoning; case report; cause of death; exhaust gas; human; hypoxia; male; pathophysiology; suicide attempt