Blending of rodenticide and battery acid – a rare and fatal suicide mix

Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences

Suresh Nandagopal¹  Siddhartha Das¹  Nisreen Abdul Rahman²  Vinod Ashok Chaudhari²  Bhawana Badhe² 

[1]Toxicology, JIPMER, Puducherry, India

[2]Department of Forensic Medicine &

[3]Department of Pathology, JIPMER, Puducherry, India

[4]Toxicology division, Forensic Sciences Department, Chennai, India

关键词: Poisoning;    Rodenticide;    Aluminium phosphide;    Battery acid;    Chemical reaction;    Autopsy findings;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s41935-017-0002-1

学科分类：生理学与病理学

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Self-poisoning usually occurs by the ingestion of a single lethal compound and majority of the poisoning cases in our country are due to the pesticides. Suicide by ingestion of more than one poisonous substance is rare except alcohol and multiple drugs. To the best of our knowledge, suicidal ingestion of a mixture of rodenticide and battery acid has not been reported before in medical literature. Here we are discussing a case of simultaneous ingestion of two poisonous substances, i.e., aluminium phosphide and battery acid. In general, an acid is mainly locally acting while metal phosphide is a systemic poison. Features suggestive of both these poisonous substances were noticed on clinical, autopsy and histopathological examination and supported by a positive chemical analysis report of viscera. Moreover, we analysed the possible reactions which may occur between these two compounds and their by-products outside and inside our body. In cases where, combination of poisons is suspected a proper history, meticulous autopsy and ancillary investigation including histopathogy and analytical toxicology are required to conclude the cause of death and mechanism of poisoning.

【 授权许可】

CC BY