POISON AND POISONINGS
Toxicology – is a special science dealing with:
• properties
• actions
• toxicity
• fatal dose
• detection
• estimation and treatment of poisonings
Forensic toxicology studies:
Medical legal features of poisonous effects of chemical substances on humans
What is it -poison?
Definition: Poison is any substance witch when entered
in a living body in a special dose or repeated doses, acts
chemically or physically –chemically with cells and tissues
is causing the health impairment or death.
POISONS MAY HAVE THREE APPEARENCES:
• To be solid ( drugs in tablets pills)
• To be liquid (drinks, solutions, venoms)
• To be a gas (traffic fumes, exhausts, carbon monoxide)
Notice: The gases are the “fastests” poisons ever
CLASSIFICATION OF THE POISONS
(BASED AND BUILT ON THE FACTS OF MAIN ACTION OF DIFFERENT POISONS)
Local (corrosive)
Acids
poisons
Alcalies
poisons
Resorptive
Blood
poisons
Destructive Functional
poisons
poisons
CORROSIVE (LOCAL) POISONS –
MOSTLY COMMON LOCAL CORROSIVE ACTION
- Acids (organic –phenol, and mineral – H2SO4, HCL, HNO3)
- Alcalies (NAOH,KOH)
Notice: First place for Acids- CH3COOH(vinegar) and H2SO4 (battery)
GENERAL SIGNS OF THE POISONING
BY THE CORROSIVE POISON:
• Necrosis of the skin and mucose membranes:
- Acids dry (coagulation, formation of crust)
- Alcolies moist (slippery surface of chemical burns)
• Specific smell (vinegar, sulfuric, chlorine)
• Hemolysis (CH3COH)
BLOOD POISONS
• Hemolytic (venoms, mushrooms)
• Hemoglobin blocking (CO, nitrates, nitrites)
Signs of the poisoning by carbonmonoxide (CO takes the first place in the
world among all other poisonings)
- Common signs of asphyxial death (toxic asphyxia)
- Red color of tissues
- Concentration of Carbon Hemoglobin more then 20% (in blood and muscleslab examination)
DESTRUCTIVE POISONS
(HEAVY METAL COMPOUNDS)
• Typical diagnostic signs:
- Slow dying (agonal death)
- Simulation of the diseases ( stomach, skin, infections)
- Dysfunction of parenchymal organs – liver, kidneys)
- Serious damage of liver and kidneys (toxic dystrophy)
- Colitis, enteritis (ulcerative)
- Accumulation in tissues (bones, hairs, nails, alopecia)
FUNCTIONAL POISONS
• Cerebrospinal (ethyl, methyl alcohol, phosphorus compounds – insecticides)
• General functional (disturbance on cardiovascular and respiratory systems)
• General narcotic (soporific hypnotic, hallucinogens)
The most common functional poisons are: ethanol (alcoholic drinks – 2nd in the world, fatal
doze 6-8gr of pure ethanol on 1kg of body weight), phosphorus compounds (insecticides,
pesticides, chemical weapons-3d in the world).
Notice: 1st place in the world still takes blood poison – CO (carbon monoxide)- discussed above
upside.
STAGES OF AN ALCOHOLIC INTOXICATION
The Blood Alcohol
Concentration, ‰
Stages of an
Alcoholic Intoxication
Clinical semiology
<0,04
There is no influence
There are no manifestations
0.4–0.5
Insignificant influence
of alcohol
Slight physiological
0.5–1.5
Slight intoxication
disturbances,
light
euphoria, self-confidence
Undue fatigability, emotional lability, impairment of reactions and visual
acuity, sensory-motor
coordination, logical thinking, hyperaemia of face
1.5–2.5
2.5–3.5
3.5–5.0
More then 5.0
Moderate alcoholic
Intoxication
Severe alcoholic intoxication
Grave alcoholic
Intoxication
Fatal alcoholic poisoning
The emotional lability, the unsteady gait,
rambling speech, drowsiness
Decrease of reflexes, animosities
and aggression, decrease of painful
sensitivity up to full analgesia, hypothermia, delay of pulse and breath,
cyanosis of faces are possible
Dream, stupor, disturbances of consciousness,
function of breath, alcoholic coma of I degree
Alcoholic coma of II–III degree, lethal outcome without rendering medical
aid
ORGANOPHOSPHATE POISONINGS
(PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS)
•
•
-
Mechanism of intoxication involves the inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
Typical diagnostic signs:
Increased saliva and tear productions
diarrhea
vomiting
Small pupils
Muscle tremors
Confusion
Common asphyxial signs
SNAKES AND STINGERS
• Most dangerous snakes in the world number one – Australian snake taipan,
number two – African black mamba, number three – Indian king cobra. All of
them armed by functional venom. Action of their venom similar to phosphor
compounds (inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) –paralyzing of the
briefing activity of the prey – neurotoxic venom ).
THE SCORPIONS ARE THE CREATURES ARMED BY
NEUROTOXIC VENOM
• Most dangerous are Indian red, Arabian with fat tail, Yellow African
SOME SNAKES MOSTLY VIPERS ARMED BY BLOOD
VENOM
The women – owner of the snake attacked by the viper –Kassava (Gaboon viper). In the movie you will see
action of another venom with hemolytic action (Blood poison with the hemolytic effect).