Citation

Kodikara S. J. Forensic Leg. Med. 2012; 19(1): 40-41.

Affiliation

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jflm.2011.07.005

PMID

22152447

Abstract

Fatal strychnine poisoning is uncommon. It is no longer used as a therapeutic drug and its availability to the public is controlled by legislations in various jurisdictions, but it is still in use as a rodenticide and an adulterant in street drugs. Homicide by strychnine is extremely rare. As the autopsy findings are subtle, strychnine poisoning could easily be overlooked and a homicide may go undetected. This communication highlights an unusual case of homicide by strychnine. It is important that in deaths where there are no gross autopsy findings, sudden death in particular, that routine toxicology be performed, in which strychnine is likely to be detected.

Language: en