Department of Forensic Medicine, Saveetha medical College, Thandalam, Chennai, India
*Corresponding author: V Dekal, Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic medicine, Saveetha Medical College, Thandalam, Chennai, India. Tel: +91-9940376579 (M), E. mail - drdekal@gmail.com
Online published on 11 August, 2014.
Death due to poisoning accounts to a large number of fatalities throughout the world and India.
Irrespective of the mode of exposure of a poison, the confirmation of the cause of death is always by subjecting the viscera and blood for chemical analysis. The methods of analysis will be selected on the view of Drugs involved, Resources available and Standard of proof acceptable by the prosecution. Each laboratory would have formulated a protocol for the analysis of tissue specimens, based on the incidences of poisonings in the region. The forensic science laboratory of Bangalore has got a scheme for detection of poisons based on various studies.
When certain compounds are suggested by the history or clinical findings, simple tests like colour tests may be performed. However, in the absence of clinical or other evidences to indicate the poisons involved a defined series of tests is needed. In the analysis of an unknown poison, various steps are involved and tests are performed sequentially. The importance of better communication between the analytical toxicologist, clinician, autopsy surgeon is emphasized in this paper as well.
Analytical Toxicology, Unknown Poison, Detection Methods, Procedures Involved
