Archiwum medycyny sa̧dowej i kryminologii
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Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Apr 2008
[The effect of high temperature on the levels of selected endogenous compounds].
The authors present their research on the levels of carboxyhemoglobin, hydrogen cyanide and ethyl alcohol in the blood of 23 fatalities found in the extreme conditions (methane explosion, fire, high temperature) associated with a mining disaster. Determinations of the presence of carboxyhemoglobin, hydrogen cyanide, and ethyl alcohol were performed as soon as the blood samples were collected from the deceased. The concentration of ethyl alcohol ranged from 0.2 per thousand to 1.3 per thousand in 18 cases. ⋯ In six cases, HbCO tested negative, and the injuries found at autopsy indicated these individuals to have been killed at the moment of the explosion. Blood cyanide content tested negative in all the examined cases. The extreme conditions of the mining disaster, especially high temperature, to which the bodies were exposed, did not have any effect either on endogenous cyanide or carboxyhemoglobin, causing, however, a significant increase in the level of ethyl alcohol in the blood.
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Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Jan 2008
[Bacterial nosocomial infections in the material of the Chair of Forensic Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Medical University in Bydgoszcz in the years 2000-2006].
The ever increasing number of legal claims and lawsuits associated with nosocomial infections has become a serious problem. The present authors analyzed the medicolegal opinions regarding nosocomial bacterial infections issued by the faculty of the Bydgoszcz Department of Forensic Medicine in the years 2000-2006. Within the evaluated period, the investigators observed an increase in the number of court cases concerning hospital-acquired infections. The most frequent pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus.
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Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Jan 2008
[Medicolegal opinions assessing the ability to undergo imprisonment vs. capacity of the Prison Health Service facilities].
Estimating the subject's ability to undergo imprisonment has become a medicolegal opinionating problem. Polish penal law indicates the presence of negative prerequisites, such as a "serious disease" and "important health-associated reasons". ⋯ Interruption of imprisonment or remission of the penalty of imprisonment must constitute the only possibility of avoiding such dangers. In his opinion, the expert should define the health-associated needs of the condemned and the possibilities of meeting such needs in the situation of imprisonment, also taking into consideration the capacity of the prison health service facility and its cooperation with regular health care institutions.
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Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Oct 2007
Review[The role of a forensic medicine expert in criminal proceedings].
The author describes actual cases from his practice as a policeman. He also presents the opinions of well-known and highly valued forensic medicine experts and lawyers about the discussed criminal cases. ⋯ He deals mainly with the role played by a forensic medicine expert in formulating possible versions of the event and establishing a direction the investigation should follow. The author's practice shows that it is only a good cooperation with a forensic medicine expert that can ensure a correct, fast and successful investigation.
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Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Oct 2007
[Medico-legal opinionating in cases of medical errors in declaration of death].
Declaration of death is a diagnosis and it has legal consequences. While declaring death, there is a possibility of committing a medical error. The majority of irregularities in declaring an individual dead occur in emergency situations. ⋯ In case death is erroneously declared, we may face a situation of squandering the chance of saving the life of a human being. Exposure to loss of life or to severe detriment to health are possible charges here, along with failure to offer medical assistance, although a deliberate character of the offence according to article 162 of the Polish penal code renders such a legal qualification dubious in case of medical errors. In both cases verification is needed whether an interest protected by law was still in existence, i.e. whether the individual was still alive when the physician incorrectly declared him dead.