bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry
Authors: Horncastle D. C. J. 
Published: January 2017

Historically flame emission spectroscopy was developed first. Routine analysis showed the advantage of measuring absorption over emission for many metals. Instrumentation requirements are:— 1. Pressure regulators and flowmeters with the sources of gases; 2. Atomizer; 3. Burner; 4. Optical system; 5. Detector. In addition, an energy source, e.g., a hollow cathode lamp, is needed. Essentially the technique involved is the same as absorbance in a solution but taken into flame. The ground state atoms are expected to pick up the correct energy. A drop in intensity is measured. Acetylene/air and acetylene/nitrous oxide are widely used now as flames. A complex theory of flames is discussed and conceptual difficulties are mentioned. Interference effects, e.g., compound formation and ionization are cited. Parameters affecting the signal are explored mathematically. Sensitivities and detection limits are compared in respect of flame emission and atomic absorption for the elements of interest. Ways of improving performance are presented. Awareness of contamination problems is important. For forensic applications and problems, absolute detection limits are lower with atomic absorption than in photometry for the majority of the listed elements. Among other advantages are specificity, several elements can be determined in one sample and one can operate on smaller samples than in some chemical methods, many elements can be surveyed with the one instrument, and there is freedom from time elapsing during colour development and drying of precipitates. All this is at relatively low cost, although sophisticated apparatus and elaborate accessories can be expensive. More than 50 per cent of instruments bought have been applied to biochemical and agricultural projects. Versatility is evident from assays of the many trace elements present in all kinds of water. Among disadvantages are failures with some lamps, too much trouble with the nebulizer, and the scarcity of information regarding the determination of major constituents. Suitable precision, adequate sensitivity, acceptable drift, allowable blank, and a satisfactory calibration curve are necessary for best accuracy. Post-mortem urine samples were examined for a variety of elements and in the case of lead poisonings, blood and ‘wet oxidized’ tissue were analysed. Reproducibility and difficulties of sampling and technique were compared using the three basic types of instrument available. For maximum sensitivity and best detection limits the double-beam instrument is preferred. Lamp, detector, and electronic drift are eliminated and its stability is superior.
Fatal Battered Baby Cases
Authors: Scott P. D. 
Published: January 2017

Twenty-nine cases in which the father, or substitute father, had been charged with killing his child (under five years of age) have been studied. Nearly two-thirds of the fathers are not married to their partner and more than half are not the biological fathers; however, the biological fathers are no less violent. The work and child-caring roles are reversed for a quarter of these parents and this contributes to the stress and opportunity. The sex motive is not important. The method of killing is never instrumental; the victim constitutes the immediate stimulus. Injuries are invariably multiple and excessively severe, e.g., combinations of fatal lesions. The circumstances show the father's unrealistic interpretation of the child's activities: the baby is seen as a threat, capable of adult thinking and as acting, or not acting, wilfully. Over half the fathers delay getting help, and often leave everything to the mother. Three-quarters have given unmistakeable warning of their subsequent actions (delayed protection). The fathers show much previous crime and 27 per cent have records of previous violent crimes. No psychiatric diagnosis other than personality disorder can be made, but this exists in 75 per cent of cases. Most cases had high environmental stress and a high degree of personality handicap, the latter seeming to be the more important factor generally. Most fathers had themselves experienced parental violence or hostility but a small proportion had not, and these are usually either very immature in personality or have been influenced vicariously by very punitive wives. Sentences appear somewhat arbitrary. Treatment needs, especially in prison, are discussed. When the series is compared with a series of non-fatal battered baby cases there are significant differences in the marital status, biological paternity, number of working mothers, location of the injuries, and in the frequency and nature of previous convictions.
Casualties Attributed to Toxic Gas and Smoke at Fires: A Survey of Statistics
Authors: Bowes P. C. 
Published: January 2017

This note surveys the statistics of fire casualties classified as having been overcome by gas or smoke in the United Kingdom Fire Statistics for the years 1955–72 inclusive. For the period covered, the proportion of all annual casualties suffering from this source of injury (both fatally and non-fatally) has increased by a factor of about 3. Currently, about half the fatal casualties from all causes in fires per annum are overcome by gas or smoke. Possible reasons for this increase are discussed and, although the available statistics do not permit any causal relationships to be established, it is considered that major factors responsible are likely to have been an increase in the amounts and, perhaps, the irritancy of gas and smoke generated in fires, resulting in more persons being trapped. An examination of the proportion of casualties surviving exposure to smoke and fire gases shows no evidence of a significant change in the toxicity of fire gases.
A Study of Aggressive and Violent Behaviour among a Group of Psychiatric in-Patients
Authors: Fottrell Eamonn , Bewley Thomas , Squizzoni Michael 
Published: January 2017

A study of aggressive and violent behaviour among psychiatric patients in four acute or sub-acute wards of a large mental hospital over a nine month period is described. It was found that most aggressive and violent behaviour was of a minor nature and was perpetrated by a minority of patients who repeatedly behaved in this fashion. The relevance of these findings for future research is discussed.
Legislation and Injury Control
Authors: Wigglesworth E. C. 
Published: January 2017

The contribution of legislation to injury control is examined. It is suggested that the legislative approach Spends for its success on three factors. Firstly, the legislative requirements should be relevant to the injury causes that they purport to control. Secondly, legislative requirements should be capable of implementation i.e. they should be readily available, easy of comprehension, technically practicable, and permit ready detection of non-compliance. Finally, the legislative system should contribute to the development of expertise amongst all those persons whose daily activities are concerned with injury control. Although the major emphasis of the paper is toward occupational injury control, an application to other forms of trauma is deduced. The importance of research is stressed.
A Therapeutic Catastrophe, Entailing 16 Exhumations, following the Administration of Digitoxin Instead of Oestradiol Benzoate to Prostatic Cancer Patients: Identification of the Poison
Authors: Thomas F. , La Barre J. , Renaux J. , Draux E. 
Published: January 2017

The authors relate a therapeutic catastrophe, entailing 16 exhumations, following the administration of capsules containing digitoxin instead of oestradiol benzoate to patients suffering from prostatic cancer. The exhumations were carried out from 17 to 40 months (minus 3 days) after death. In decomposed bodies digitoxin remains in skeletal muscle and it is there that one has the best chance of detecting it. The reason probably lies in the fact that putrefaction sets in more slowly in this tissue than elsewhere. Routine chemical investigations were entirely unsuccessful except in 2 cases where thin layer chromatography provided a weak positive reaction in the muscle. On the contrary, entirely convincing, positive proof of the presence of the heart glycoside was obtained by resorting to Trevan and co-workers' biological method (1928), using the isolated auricles of the rabbit. In all, 200 tracings were made, necessitating the sacrifice of some 60 rabbits. Of the 16 patients exhumed, 2, who were known for certain not to have received any digitoxin at all, were negative. Nine of the 14 others were strongly positive, 2 only probable and 1 doubtful. Out of the 14, only 2 eases remained negative although they had also undoubtedly taken large doses of digitoxin, but this was expected from the start because of the extremely advanced state of putrefaction of those bodies. A number of cases of digitalin poisoning of special interest are reviewed.
Alternative Forms of Community Support after Sudden Infant Death
Authors: Bluglass Kerry , Hassall Christine 
Published: January 2017

The range of community services for the support or counselling of parents of babies dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or cot death was studied in the response to an enquiry to all area health authorities in England and Wales and area health boards in Scotland. Replies from specialists in community medicine (child health), (SCM (CH)), indicated a varied awareness of the needs of such parents and differed greatly in views as to which professionals should provide support. The ‘ideal’ of the primary health care team meeting these needs was often mentioned but this ideal was not achieved in reality. Major obstructions to setting up suitable services were delays or difficulties in notification of deaths from some coroners, local medical committees' disapproval and shortage of staff. The majority described increasing reliance on the health visitor for immediate help in the bereavement and for later support and counselling. This has important implications for health visitor training and staffing. That many SCMs (CH) feel uncertain as to how best to offer a service for parents bereaved by cot death was reflected in requests for further information on completion of the study. A small number had been stimulated to action as a result of the enquiry. Community support for bereaved parents varies widely across the country. There is a need to ensure speedy and reliable notification of the death, to raise levels of awareness in all professionals to the difficulties experienced by a family which has lost a child and to utilize and improve the skills of those best equipped to help.
Morbidity and Mortality Statistics on Solvent Abuse
Authors: Watson Joyce M. 
Published: January 2017

A retrospective study of newspaper reports on solvent abuse indicated that there were some individuals who had been hospitalized or had died following the episode. A subsequent study of hospital records demonstrated that only a very small proportion of both hospital casualties and inpatients was found to have been involved in solvent abuse. No morbidity appeared to have resulted from the practice in Lanarkshire. In all, 45 deaths from solvent abuse occurred in Britain between 1970 and January 1977. It is possible that there have been other deaths resulting from accidents associated with the practice and also that in some cases, where death has occurred sometime later, the vital connection may have been overlooked or not recognized. In this way the number of actual cases could well be much higher than that represented in the statistics. It is obvious from the distribution of fatalities that the practice of solvent abuse has occurred in many areas of Britain since 1970.
Dissecting and Atherosclerotic Aneurysms: A Survey of Post-Mortem Examinations, 1968–77
Authors: Fothergill Diana F. , Bowen D. A. L. , Mason J. K. 
Published: January 2017

A survey of 10 years of post-mortem examinations (total 21 366) revealed that death was attributed to a dissecting aneurysm in 305 cases. A typical case was an elderly, hypertensive female, in whom dissection started in the ascending aorta and ruptured to produce a haemopericardium; death occurred suddenly at home after a brief episode of chest pain. In the same 10-year period there were 372 ruptured atherosclerotic aneurysms of the aorta. By contrast, a typical case was a male in his 70s, again hypertensive, with rupture in the abdominal portion of the aorta. Death is less sudden in many of these cases and the patient is more likely to have reached hospital. There is no indication of any trend for either of these types of aneurysm to increase in the decade studied. The Registrar General's (1968, 1974, 1976) mortality statistics for England and Wales support this, but show an overall increase in incidence in the past 20 years.
An Epidemiological and Sociological Study of Unexpected Death in Infancy in Nine Areas of Southern England: I: Epidemiology
Authors: Watson Elizabeth , Gardner Angela , Carpenter R. G. 
Published: January 2017

An epidemiological survey of unexpected deaths in infancy covering nine areas of southern England is reported. The areas include specially deprived inner city areas of London, inner and outer suburbs of London, rapidly developing and new towns and their surrounding country districts and a coastal resort. The report is based on 308 cases and 236 controls. Theepidemiological patterns found in respect of time of death, age, sex and season are similar to those reported by previous studies. The characteristic ‘cot death’ age distribution cannot be explained by the inclusion of older infants whose respiratory passages are obstructed by bedding or infection. Possible explanations for a substantial outbreak in one area are considered. Well recognized differences between cases and controls in respect of age of parents, parity, prematurity, twinning, hospital admission and clinic attendance were found to persist and to be essentially similar in all areas despite there being significant differences between the populations. Sociological differences between cases and controls were largest in the most socially deprived areas, illustrated by an illegitimacy rate of 27 per cent in inner north London. Bottle feeding was only significantly associated with unexpected death when the standard of the home was excellent. Where the homes were poor more cases than controls were breast fed.
An Epidemiological and Sociological Study of Unexpected Death in Infancy in Nine Areas of Southern England
Authors: Watson Elizabeth 
Published: January 2017

There has been no large scale study of the effects of bereavement on parents who have experienced an unexpected infant death (cot death). Three hundred and eight such families were studied in nine area health authorities in Great Britain. Each family was visited by two suitably qualified members of the Community Health Services to assess the effect of the bereavement on the family and to identify their sources of support. Results of this study indicate the profoundly disruptive effect of the tragedy on the majority of these families. It has highlighted the importance of skilled interviewing to help parents verbalize their fears and assuage guilt feelings. Guidance and training in counselling is recommended for all health care professionals likely to have contact with such families.
An Epidemiological and Sociological Study of Unexpected Death in Infancy in Nine Areas of Southern England
Authors: Carpenter R.G. , Gardner Angela , Watson Elizabeth 
Published: January 2017

This paper shows that a modified form of scoring would be useful in identifying infants at risk in these areas. It is predicted that a useful reduction in unexpected infant deaths would follow increasing the care given to high risk infants. To evaluate such a programme and to update the scoring system, an ongoing survey of all cases of unexpected death would be required. Case conferences based on this information would also improve the level of care so that the overall effect of the whole package might be substantially larger than predicted from theory.
The Role of the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths
Authors: Limerick Sylvia 
Published: January 2017

This precious new being soon became the centre of my day. Like every new mother I was fascinated watching him grow stronger and more responsive. Soon he became such a personality that it was hard to imagine what life was like before he came along. He was our great delight. Then suddenly our whole world was shattered. I put him to bed one night not unduly worried by the little snuffle he had developed that day. It was not bothering him and he was his usual perky self. He was sleeping happily when we looked in to see him before going to bed ourselves. When we were to get him up in the morning his face was blue and he showed no sign of life. Although we hoped against hope as we rushed him to the doctor, he could only confirm that M was dead. He was just 13 months old. We made exhaustive enquiries as to why a seemingly healthy baby should die so suddenly — so without warning. We learnt that what we had faced that morning is faced by five or six families every day in Britain; that unexpected deaths in infancy are the commonest kind of death in babies aged between 1 week and 2 years, though in the majority of cases the babies are aged between 1 and 6 months; and that after the age of 1 week, there are now more babies dying unexpectedly at home in the community than die in hospital.
The Effects of Alcohol on Four Choice Serial Reaction Time
Authors: Antebi Daniel 
Published: January 2017

Sixteen subjects were asked to perform a 4 choice serial reaction task, 8 of whom were given 140 ml of 65.5° vodka before performing the task. The subjects were all asked to complete the test every half an hour for 2 1/2 hours. The results showed that: Although the mean number of errors was increased this was not significant. The total number of responses and total number of correct responses were both increased. This again was not statistically significant. The mean number of gaps, i.e. reaction times greater than 1.000 seconds, was increased significantly. The mean reaction times were also significantly increased.
Psychiatric Interim Regional Secure Unit: Seven Years' Experience
Authors: Faulk M. , Taylor J. C. 
Published: January 2017

The 140 patients admitted during the seven-year period 1977–84 accounted for 225 discharges. Schizophrenia and personality disorder were the two commonest diagnoses and violence and arson the commonest cause for their admission. Patients were accepted from prisons, Special Hospitals and other hospitals, and were discharged to the community principally and into the care of their orginal catchment-area hospitals. Problems which remain unresolved include responding quickly enough to requests from catchment-area hospitals to accept difficult patients, finding appropriate treatment facilities for behaviourally-disturbed subnormal individuals and providing a service for psychopathic patients. The security within the secure unit has not proved a problem. Maintaining staffing levels has proved difficult both locally and nationally. Staff morale can be sustained by good personnel arrangements.
A Legal Framework to Eradicate Female Circumcision
Authors: Ogiamien T. B. E. 
Published: January 2017

The traditional practices of genital mutilation1 of young girls and women, hereinafter called FC (female circumcision) have in recent times generated incessant controversy in political and academic circles. The campaign against the practice has similarly captured the interest of sociologists, interest groups and, until recent times, the law.2 Because of the medical dangers of FC, proposals to eradicate the activity have been suggestive of an outright ban; but others hold the view that the necessity for legislation to prohibit the practice will be unrealistic.3 As will be seen below, a few jurisdictions who have in the past partially legislated against it, met with little or no success. Paradoxically, the problem exists.4
Pathology of Volatile Substance Abuse: A Case Report and a Literature Review
Authors: Al-Alousi L M. 
Published: January 2017

The medicolegal importance of volatile substance abuse, as an example of toxicological deaths, is reviewed. A case of a 13-year-old boy who died after inhalation of volatile substances from a deodorant spray tin is presented. Another similar case has been summarized in the discussion. Different aspects of volatile substance abuse are considered with special emphasis on those facets which are relevant to forensic pathology practice. The most important pathological alterations associated with the acute and chronic abuse of volatile substances are discussed and some histological features of these conditions are illustrated with photographs. These include some microscopic changes of the central nervous system, respiratory system and the kidneys. The roles of the pathologist and the toxicologist in the investigations of the fatalities resulting from the volatile substance abuse are reviewed and practical points are explained. Lastly, some relevant legal points are discussed.
The Relationship between Blood and Urine Alcohol Concentrations at Autopsy
Authors: Heatley M. K. , Crane J. 
Published: January 2017

The relationship between the blood alcohol concentration and the urine alcohol concentration was studied in 109 routine coroner's autopsies. Although the average ratio for urine alcohol concentration to blood alcohol concentration lay close to the ratio of 4:3 quoted in the literature, the actual ratios determined were widely scattered around this value. Thus the use of this simple ratio to estimate the blood alcohol concentration from the urine alcohol concentration at post-mortem was unreliable. An equation determined by employing linear regression analysis was similarly unhelpful in enabling one to derive a precise value for the blood alcohol concentration from a given urine alcohol concentration. It was concluded that the main value in determining the urine alcohol concentration at autopsy was to exclude the possibility of the alcohol present in the blood sample having been generated during the post-mortem interval.
Recording by the Police of Violent Offences; An Accident and Emergency Department Perspective
Authors: Shepherd Jonathan , Shapland Margaret , Scully Crispian 
Published: January 2017

The British Crime Surveys have demonstrated that police-derived crime statistics are an unreliable indicator of the true number of violent offences in society. We therefore investigated police recording of consecutive victims of violence who sought treatment in a large Accident and Emergency (A & E) Department. Of victims assaulted within the boundaries of the inner-city Police Division, only one quarter were recorded by the police, though half claimed police awareness of the incident. Proportionately fewer assaults which occurred in the street, in discoteques or on Saturdays were recorded, in comparison to assaults which occurred in other locations and on other days. Proportionately more female victims were recorded, compared to males. A & E data provide a useful insight into the efficiency and effectiveness of inner-city policing. Victims Support Schemes should liaise with A & E Departments as well as with the police.
The Certification and Disposal of the Dead in Major Disasters
Authors: Busuttil A , Jones J S P 
Published: January 2017

When a major disaster occurs in which there are a large number of fatalities, many tasks have to be undertaken in a very short time and under great pressure. By considering in advance the potential difficulties which may be encountered it is possible to plan ways of overcoming, or at least minimizing, some of these problems. In this paper we have ventilated some of the problems concerning the certification and disposal of the victims of a major disaster, as seen from the pathologist's point of view.