MARYAM JAMILAH BINTI ABDUL HAMID082013100002IMS BANGALORE

Characteristics

Mode of action

Fatal dose & fatal period

Signs & symptoms

Causes of death

Complications

Postmortem appearances

Medicolegal importance

Oil of vitriol, oleum

• Heavy, odorless, colorless, hygroscopic,

oily liquid

• Can carbonize organic substances

• Used as electrolyte in lead-acid batteries,

domestic acidic drain cleaner, mineral

processing

• Superficial burns after only 1 second of

contact

• Full thickness burns after 30 seconds

• Fatal dose: 5-10 ml

• Fatal period: 12-24 hours

1) Acute inflammatory stage; 4-7 days

Perforation & acidosis

2) Granulation stage; 4-7 days

3) Perforation; 7-21 days (weakest tissue)

4) Cicatrisation; 3 weeks-years

Over-production of scar tissue results

in stricture formation

• Lips; swollen & excoriated, brown or black

streaks

• Tongue; edema

• Pharyngeal pain, hoarse & husky voice, chalky-

white teeth

• Corrosion of mucous membranes of mouth,

throat, esophagus

• Intense thirst & drinking will cause vomiting

(brown/black, mucoid, strongly acid), eructation

• Stridor, drooling, odynophagia, epigastric

pain spread over abdomen & thorax

• Constipation. Recover phase: late

esophageal, gastric, pyloric strictures

• Sunken eyes, pupils dilated

• Permanent scars; skin and oropharynx

ACUTE

• Upper airway obstruction & injury

• GI haemorrhage

• Esophageal and gastric perforation

• Sepsis

• Tracheobronchial necrosis, atelectasis and

obstructive lung injury

CHRONIC

• Esophageal obstruction

• Pyloric stenosis

• Vocal card paralysis with airway

obstruction

CAUSES OF DEATH

• Circulatory collapse

• Spasm or edema of glottis

• Collapse due to perforation of stomach

• Toxaemia

• Delayed death may occur due to hypostatic

pneumonia, secondary infection, renal infection or

starvation due to stricture of esophagus

• Depends on quantity, strength, duration of the acid exposed

• Corrosion of mucous membranes of lips, mouth and throat and

skin over chin, angles of the mouths and hands

• Necrotic areas; 1st grayish white, but soon become brown or black

and leathery

• Chalky white teeth

Internal

• Limited to upper digestive tract and respiratory system

• Upper digestive tract; inflamed, swollen, severe

interstitial haemorrhage

• Esophagus: superficial mucosa erosion

• Stomach: superficial erosion and coagulation with

eschar

• Soft, spongy, black mass which readily disintegrates

when touched. Mucosal ridges damaged

• Peritonitis

• Secondary toxic: swelling of liver and kidney –if patient

survives

Vitriolage

Accidental in children

K.S NARAYAN REDDY,The Essentials of Forensic Medicine

and Toxicology, 33rd Edition

V V PILAY, Textbook of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 15th

Edition