[Clinical assessment and therapy of barbiturate poisoning (based on 2 case reports)]. / Klinische Beurteilung und Therapie von Barbituratvergiftungen (an Hand von zwei Fallberichten).

The clinical features, complications and course of barbiturate poisoning are described and illustrated by two case histories in order to recommend therapeutic guidelines on the basis of practical experience. For the intensive care physician it is essential to get information on the composition of barbiturate-containing drugs as rapidly as possible in order to determine the correct therapeutic management. A table is presented of the components of the most commonly used barbiturates.

[Investigations on the mercury pollutions of drinking water in the urban and rural regions of Styria (Austria) (author's transl)]. / Untersuchungen über die Quecksilberbelastung von Trinkwässern im städtischen und ländlichen Bereich der Steiermark (Osterreich).

The paper reports on the inspection of more than 1000 drinking water supply plants with the purpose of determining the content of mercury. The investigations were carried out during the years from 1974 to 1977, and were intended to clarify whether in Styria (Austria), a partly industrialised and partly agricultural area, the ground water is polluted by mercury resulting from the use of mercury-containing plant preservation chemicals, seed dressings and industrial chemicals. The standard of assessment was taken from the German Drinking Water Regulation of 1975 which establishes a max. permissible mercury content of 4 ppb Hg for drinking water. In 70 per cent of the samples no mercury was detected. Of the remaining 30 per cent of the samples, about 90 per cent proved to have mercury below 1 ppb. The remaining water samples contained more than 4 ppb Hg and these values were attributable to geological or civilisatory causes. In two instances it was impossible to determine the origin of the mercury.

[An improved method for detection of diatoms (author's transl)]. / Eine verbesserte Methode zum Diatomeen-Nachweis

An improved method for detection of diatoms in case of drowning is reported. The sample is digested with nitric acid. In order to avoid destruction of diatoms as well as losses by centrifugation etc. the time for wet digestion was reduced and the digest solution is filtered through a membrane filter. Fatty material is removed by alternate washing the filter with 2-Propanol and Petroleum ether. Following the wet digestion of the filter, aliqutos of this digest solution are filtered and the filter is examined microscopically. As the recommended procedure is less time consuming and yields almost complete recovery of diatoms the method has great probative value in case of death by drowning.

[Studies on the influence of positive or negative small ions on the catechol amine content in the brain of the mouse following shorttime or prolonged exposure (author's transl)]. / Untersuchungen über den Einfluss von positiven oder negativen Kleinionen auf den Katecholamingehalt im Gehirn der Maus nach Kurzzeiteinwirkung oder längerfristiger Exponierung.

UNLABELLED: Mice were exposed to an atmosphere enriched with positive or negative small ions (density: 52000 each of positive or negative charge carriers/cm3 air); after the exposure times of 5, 30 min and 1, 3, 10 d, we determined the norepinephrine content of the brain. RESULTS: In the case of negative ionization of the air, no difference to untreated controls could be determined at any of the above exposure times. Positive ions, however, cause an elevated norepinephrine level after an exposure time of up to one day; after the exposure times of 3 to 10 d, a drop in the norepinephrine level could be observed in comparison to the control data. CONCLUSION: Negative ions have a neutral effect under the given bioclimatologic conditions. However, positive charge carriers cause stress after shorttime application in excess. After longer exposure, a state of exhaustion can be observed in the form of a lowered norepinephrine level.

[On the evidential value of diatoms in cases of death by drowning (author's transl)]. / Zum Beweiswert von Diatomeen im Knochenmark beim Ertrinkungstod.

With the aid of experiments in animals we have again investigated the question as to the quantitative and qualitative immigration of diatoms into the greater circulation and thus into the bone marrow at the time of drowning. We have applied an experimental method which meets this complex topic. Thus, just before the animals (rabbits) were drowned, one of their hind legs was amputated, and the vessels of one of their kidneys were clamped to learn how many diatoms were present before the drowning. After the drowning, a qualitative and quantitative examination of the bone marrow of both hind legs and of both kidneys was carried out. In all cases, an increase in the number of diatoms could be recorded as compared to the initial number of diatoms present prior to the drowning. Based on the results of the experiments and the information gained in the examinations criteria are discussed which, when applied, allow positive diatom findings to indicate valuable diagnostic information about death by drowning. References is made to preservation of the death causing liquid in the stomach.

[Does a 50-cycle alternating field cause central-nervous effects? (author's transl)]. / Ubt das netzfrequente Wechselfeld zentrale Wirkungen aus?

This project was to provide a further indication for the triggering of central-nervous effects by a 50 - cycle alternating field with a field strength of 5.300 V/m. Previous studies already raised the suspicion of an effector mechanism of this kind: for instance, the nucleus temperature of rats sank under field influence. The same effect is triggered in mice and rats by prescribing centrally stimulating pharmaca. Furthermore, a rise in diastolic blood pressure with a simultaneous drop in heart rate was described for human subjects. We were able to demonstrate the latter effect in laboratory animals (rats). The experiments under consideration resulted in a significant rise in norepinephrine content of the rats' brains following brief exposure of 15 min length. The measured data after 10 d fell highly significantly below those of the untreated controls and remained approximately at this lowered level until the end of field exposure (21 d). Changes in "turn over" of the norepinephrine metabolism of the brain represent an important indicator for the demonstration of the stimulation of central-nervous structures. Our findings therefore substantiate the presented hypothesis of a central-nervous point of attack by electrical energies.

[Medicolegal aspects of poisoning (author's transl)]. / Vergiftungen aus gerichtsmedizinischer Sicht.

8679 post mortem dissections have been performed in the Institute during the rescent 25 years; 563 of them have been cases of poisoning (=6.5% of totality). They were grouped for the years 1950--1965 and 1966--1975. Suicidal poisoning showed an increasing, poisoning in children a decreasing tendency during the last 25 years. Suicides were mainly performed with hypnotics. Carbon monoxide poisoning dominated in the group of accidental poisoning.