JIST

Abstract

A case of suspicious death of a married female with a history of marital discord is being reported. The postmortem examination was done in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Pt. BD Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana. As per the inquest report, the apparent cause of death was ‘unknown.’ External examination revealed a cannula in-situ on the right forearm near the elbow. Erythematous patches of sizes varying from 2–5 cm were present all over the

body. On internal examination, the mucosa of the mouth, pharynx and oesophagus were found congested. Mucosa of the stomach was also congested, and there were erosions along the lesser curvature.

Histopathology revealed the heart to have mild to moderate atherosclerosis, while the liver showed fatty change. Lungs, spleen and kidneys revealed congestion. Pieces of skin taken from erythematous patches showed focal areas of dermo-epidermal separation and mild inflammatory infiltrate in the upper dermis.

Aluminium phosphide (ALP) was detected in the viscera sent for chemical analysis. ALP ingestion is not known to cause dermal reaction. The exact cause of the erythematous patches could not be established. Cause of death was attributed to aluminium phosphide poisoning; the multiple erythematous patches noted all over the body were also mentioned in the final opinion. This case highlights the importance of drug screening in patients of suspected poisoning.