Citation

Bott E, Dodd M. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2013; 34(1): 23-25.

Affiliation

Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Victoria, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0b013e31827ab5ad

PMID

23361075

Abstract

The authors report a case of suicide by hydrogen sulfide in Australia. A young woman was located in a car wearing protective eyewear. A tub of foamy yellow substance and a quantity of hydrochloric acid and lime sulfur were also located in the rear of the vehicle. Morphological findings at autopsy were nonspecific. Toxicologic analysis of a specimen of leg blood detected elevated levels of methemoglobin.If Australia follows a similar trend to Japan and the United States, it is possible that incidences of such cases will rise, probably because of Internet dissemination. From a public health perspective, emergency service providers and forensic case workers should be aware of the potential hazards to themselves and others when dealing with such cases.

Language: en