FORENSIC TOXICOLOGYFORENSIC TOXICOLOGY

LucieLucie Lxxx DCEM1Lxxx DCEM1

Toulouse Toulouse PurpanPurpan medical schoolmedical school

21/03/12 21/03/12 http://www.forensicmed.co.uk/science/toxicology/

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

• Definitions

• Sources of poison

• Facts and Figures

• Samples of forensic interest

• Famous cases

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

• Toxicology: science dealing with properties, actions, toxicity, detection … of poisons

• Poison: any substance producing ill-health or death by its action

• Drug: any substance modifying physiological systems or pathological states

SOURCES OF POISONSOURCES OF POISON

• Domestic

• Agricultural and horticultural

• Industrial

• Commercial

• Drugs and medicines

• Food and drink

• Miscellaneoushttp://www.brindilles.fr/brindinfos/upload/vignettes/medium/28.jhttp://www.brindilles.fr/brindinfos/upload/vignettes/medium/28.jpgpg

DEATHS PER YEAR IN DEATHS PER YEAR IN FRANCEFRANCE

SAMPLES OF FORENSIC SAMPLES OF FORENSIC INTERESTINTEREST

•• BloodBlood

•• HairHair

•• UrineUrine

•• GastricGastric content and bilecontent and bile

•• LungLung

•• LiverLiver

•• VitreousVitreous humourhumour

BLOODBLOOD

•• Different anatomical Different anatomical sites of collectionsites of collection

•• Central site: Central site:

�� HeartHeart

•• Peripheral sites:Peripheral sites:

�� FemoralFemoral

�� IliacIliac

�� SubclavianSubclavian

Heart

Subclavian

Iliac

Femoral

www.utm.utoronto.ca/.../03_postmortem.ppt

HAIRHAIR

•• Stability of drug and poisonStability of drug and poison

•• Historical recordHistorical record

•• Racial variability?Racial variability?

GASTRIC CONTENT GASTRIC CONTENT

•• Not always oral Not always oral ingestioningestion

•• Not homogenous Not homogenous contentcontent

•• Undigested pills or Undigested pills or liquidsliquids

http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/GIHTML/GI162.html

SAMPLES OF FORENSIC SAMPLES OF FORENSIC INTERESTINTEREST

•• BloodBlood

•• HairHair

•• UrineUrine

•• GastricGastric content and bilecontent and bile

•• LungLung

•• LiverLiver

•• VitreousVitreous humourhumour

FAMOUS CASES (1)FAMOUS CASES (1)

•• Emile Zola: carbon Emile Zola: carbon monoxide poisoningmonoxide poisoning

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:ZOLA_1902B.jpghttp://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:ZOLA_1902B.jpg

•• Alexander Alexander LitvinenkoLitvinenko: : lethal dose of lethal dose of poloniumpolonium--210 210 (poisoning)(poisoning)

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AlexanderLitvinenkoHospital.jpg

FAMOUS CASES (2)FAMOUS CASES (2)

•• Michael Jackson: Michael Jackson: lethal dose of lethal dose of propofolpropofol

http://www.zoom-cinema.fr/news/2011/ http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Janis+Joplin/+images/83069

•• Janis Joplin: heroin Janis Joplin: heroin overdoseoverdose

TAKE HOME MESSAGETAKE HOME MESSAGE

•• POISON MAY BE EVERYWHERE, BE CAREFUL! POISON MAY BE EVERYWHERE, BE CAREFUL!

•• Lots of samples of forensic interestLots of samples of forensic interest

http://www.tgdaily.com/security-features/52895-wikileaks-threatens-poison-pill-if-site-shut-down

BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY

•• http://www.forensichttp://www.forensic--medecine.info/medecine.info/

•• http://www.forensicmed.co.uk/pathology/http://www.forensicmed.co.uk/pathology/

•• http://www.forensicmed.co.uk/science/http://www.forensicmed.co.uk/science/

•• http://www.forensicindia.com/ugteaching/forensictoxicology.pdfhttp://www.forensicindia.com/ugteaching/forensictoxicology.pdf

•• http://www.forensicindia.com/autopsy.htmhttp://www.forensicindia.com/autopsy.htm

•• http://www.keewu.com/IMG/pdf/Medicolegale.pdf http://www.keewu.com/IMG/pdf/Medicolegale.pdf

•• http://wwwhttp://www--sante.ujfsante.ujf--grenoble.fr/SANTE/cms/sites/medatice/home/addictologie/docs/2011grenoble.fr/SANTE/cms/sites/medatice/home/addictologie/docs/201102150215112609/TD_Toxicologie_H.Eysseric.pdf112609/TD_Toxicologie_H.Eysseric.pdf

•• http://sfta.org/presentation/main/consensus/techniques/plvtsautohttp://sfta.org/presentation/main/consensus/techniques/plvtsautopsie.pdfpsie.pdf

•• http://www.medicalgeek.com/lecturehttp://www.medicalgeek.com/lecture--notes/21539notes/21539--forensicforensic--medicinemedicine--toxicologytoxicology--lastlast--momentmoment--revisions.htmlrevisions.html