Journal of forensic sciences
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Homicide-suicides (HS) are relatively infrequent events. Yet, they are of great concern because they often result in the death of family members, young children, and cause additional morbidity, family disruption and childhood psychological trauma. The aims of our study were (a) to examine the sociodemographic, clinical, and autopsy characteristics of HS in Paris and its suburbs from 1991 through 1996, and (b) to analyze the psychodynamic determinants leading up to the onset of HS. ⋯ Chronic alcoholism was found in 16 cases. In conclusion, the offender was more likely to be a male, severely depressed, violent and jealous who killed his spouse, and often his children, with impulsiveness, but after numerous threats. Our findings suggest that HS differ from both homicide and suicide and thus occupy a distinct epidemiological domain requiring specific prevention programs.
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The aim of our study was to examine the combined contribution of computer-assisted histomorphometry of lungs with blood strontium (BS) measurement to the diagnosis of drowning in cadavers recovered from fresh water. The study population comprised 116 drowned subjects. The results for this group were compared with those obtained for three non-drowned groups: 22 subjects who died from causes other than asphyxia, 13 subjects who died of asphyxia (strangulation or hanging); and 23 healthy living subjects in whom normal BS level was measured. ⋯ The mean values of the BS levels in the 116 drowned subjects and of the water strontium concentrations were found to be much higher than in the living individuals. Although the ranges were wide, we found no overlap between values found in drowned subjects and those in non-drowned subjects. Emphysema aquosum and to a lesser extent alveolar hemorrhage were found to be the most significant histologic changes in the drowned and asphyxia groups compared with the nonasphyxia control groups.