Journal of forensic and legal medicine
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Benefits and even dangers of plants are known since time began. The ancients used plants and herbs because of their effects on the human body. Poisoning is a logical consequence of their use: history is full of episodes of plants and herbs poisoning, whether intentional or accidental. ⋯ Cases of voluntary ingestion of oleander with a suicidal intent prove to be uncommon: in the case reported the victim was aware about the possibility to commit suicide through the ingestion of oleander leaves.
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Historical Article
Evidences of trauma in adult African enslaved individuals from Valle da Gafaria, Lagos, Portugal (15th-17th centuries).
The aim of this work is to discuss the frequency of traumatic bone injuries in a quite unique skeletal assemblage of enslaved people from Valle da Gafaria, Lagos, Portugal (15th-17th centuries). In all, 30 males, 58 females, and 15 individuals of unknown sex were included in the study. The skeletal remains were macroscopically observed for traumatic lesions. ⋯ The bone more affected by antemortem trauma was the 5th right intermediate foot phalange (40.0%) and by perimortem trauma was the skull (11.4%), probably related to accidents and interpersonal violence, respectively. When analysed by sex, the only significant differences were found in the skull and the right 5th proximal foot phalanges, men (57.1%) presenting more lesions than women (15.4%). The obtained results are consistent with an arduous life, corroborating historical sources which document labour accidents, physical punishments and hard work in the populations of slaves.
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Case Reports
Fatal intoxication of a regular drug user following N-ethyl-hexedrone and ADB-FUBINACA consumption.
In Hungary, N-ethyl-hexedrone (NEH) was the most frequently seized stimulant designer drug in 2017, while among synthetic cannabinoids ADB-FUBINACA and AB-FUBINACA were the most popular. Symptoms of intoxication by these substances are well known but less is known about the pathology of overdose-related death. NEH-induced fatal intoxication has not been described in the literature and knowledge surrounding the particular circumstances of death could be useful better public education of risk and more adequate treatment of overdose patients. ⋯ We identified metabolites in the post-mortem blood by comparing them to human liver microsomal enzyme metabolites in vitro. Three major and two minor metabolites were found in the blood, of which two could only be derived from ADB-FUBINACA, as opposed to other cannabinoids. The case highlights the importance of the complex analysis of drug related deaths by medico-legal autopsy, histopathology and toxicology.