Toxicologic aspects of deaths due to falls from height.

A prospective study of 161 victims of falls from height is reported. The aim was to determine the interest of systematic qualitative and quantitative toxicological analysis in such fatalities. The primary cause of death was suicide (84.5%), followed by accidents (7%) and homicide (1%). In the remaining 7.5%, cause of death was undetermined. In the suicides, there was evidence of psychotropic medicines in 57% of the observations, with a much higher proportion of benzodiazepines and antidepressants in women than in men. Quantitative toxicologic analysis showed overdosing on medication in 16 suicide victims, with toxic levels in 11 of these. Systematic qualitative and quantitative toxicologic analysis made a significant contribution to the diagnosis of suicide by revealing either an unknown psychiatric treatment or a toxic level.

Criminal burning.

We report a study of 40 burnt bodies on which an autopsy was carried out at the Institut de Médecine Légale in Lyon (28 men/12 women, average age = 41 years, minimum age = 3 years, maximum age = 86 years). Criminal deaths (31%) represented the second cause of death after accidents (52%), and before suicide (16%). Criminal burning seemed mainly to be means of covering up homicide, whereas criminal immolation was rarer. The particular characteristics of each of these situations have been highlighted (tying or poisoning in criminal immolation). We deemed it essential to make X-rays, to look for injuries due to trauma and to carry out systematic toxicological analyses in a victim of burning.