Problems of Forensic Sciences 2004 Vol. 59 (LIX) 115-126
DISTRIBUTION OF METHANOL IN BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS OF VICTIMS OF A FATAL GROUP POISONING
Grzegorz BUSZEWICZ, Grzegorz TERESIŃSKI, Roman MĄDRO
Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical Academy, Lublin
Streszczenie
A case of a fatal group methanol poisoning is presented in this paper. The amount and time of consumption of this alcohol by 4 victims, the real times of death of two of them (during hospitalisation) and probable times of death of another two were known. Results of medical and post-mortem examinations are presented. Particular attention was paid not only to methanol concentrations determined in blood (from femoral vein and cerebral sinus), but also to those determined in cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous body, urine, and gastric and small intestine contents. A comparison was possible due to determination of water content in all examined environments. Explanations given by a fifth participant concerning the course of the drinking bout were checked on the basis of the above results. He exaggerated the amounts of methanol drunk by himself, but described its consumption by the remaining men fairly accurately.
Słowa kluczowe
Methanol; Group poisoning; Distribution of methanol; Water content.