[Extensive myocardial fibrosis in an 8-month old infant following an inflammatory condition of probable viral origin]. / Rozlegle zwlóknienia w miesniu serca 8-miesiecznego niemowlecia w nastepstwie zapalenia, prawdopodobnie na tle wirusowym.

The authors found lesions of inflammatory-fibrotic character in the myocardium of an 8-month-old infant in whom during the first 7.5 months of life no signs of disease were observed. At the end of the 8th month of life the signs of upper respiratory tract infection appeared. In view of rapidly deteriorating health condition, the infant was admitted to hospital, where severe heart failure was revealed, which became the cause of death after three weeks of treatment. The authors supposed that viral myocardial infection initiated the inflammatory process which--after activation of autoimmune mechanisms--led to vast destruction of myocardial fibres and development of fibrous connective tissue.

[Suicidal poisoning with verapamil]. / Samobójcze zatrucie werapamilem.

An 18-year-old woman treated in an internal medicine department for heart complaints took clandestinely a high dose of verapamil of unknown origin. She was transferred with block grade III and blood pressure fall to the Department of Cardiology, Province Hospital, where she came with severe cardiogenic+ shock. Resuscitation--electric stimulation (external and then endocavitary), heart massage, artificial ventilation, and the drugs used (orciprenaline, atropine, dopamine, calcium)--was unsuccessful, since despite the bioelectrically effective stimulation myocardial contraction were not achieved, which was probably due to deficit of calcium necessary for activation of contractile elements in muscle fibres. The toxicological investigation demonstrated verapamil (together with its metabolites) in the blood (6 micrograms/ml) and in the liver (42 micrograms/g of tissue).

[Some remarks on the topic of accidental hypothermia]. / Kilka uwag na temat tzw. Przypadkowej hipotermii.

A case is described of death from cooling of an 80-year-old woman with advanced physical and mental debility who lived alone in a poorly heated flat. The attention was paid to socioeconomic and biological risks for elderly people for the so called accidental hypothermia, and the possibility of preventive measures by health and social care organisations was shown.

[Difficulties in establishing the cause of sudden death of a 2-year-old child with thymus hyperplasia]. / O trudnosciach w ustaleniu przyczyny naglego zgonu dwuletniego dziecka z przerostem grasicy.

In the reported case the authors discuss the possible role of thymomegaly in the pathological mechanism of sudden death explaining the observed clinical changes (fainting and cardiac murmurs) as due to pressure exerted by the enlarged thymus on the heart and airways. Sudden death was preceded by ingestion of amidoquine tablet and slight trauma to the head.