Sulphuric acid as a corrosive poison. the characteristics, fatal dose, fatal time, sign and symptoms, post-mortem appearance and medicolegal importance are discussed

1. MARYAM JAMILAH BINTI ABDUL HAMID
082013100002
IMS BANGALORE

2.  Characteristics
 Mode of action
 Fatal dose & fatal period
 Signs & symptoms
 Causes of death
 Complications
 Postmortem appearances
 Medicolegal importance

3.  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

4. • Superficial burns after only 1 second of
contact
• Full thickness burns after 30 seconds
• Fatal dose: 5-10 ml
• Fatal period: 12-24 hours

5. 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

6. • 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

7. • 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

10. ACUTE
• Upper airway obstruction & injury
• GI haemorrhage
• Esophageal and gastric perforation
• Sepsis
• Tracheobronchial necrosis, atelectasis and
obstructive lung injury

11. CHRONIC
• Esophageal obstruction
• Pyloric stenosis
• Vocal card paralysis with airway
obstruction

12. 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

13. • 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

14. 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

16.  Vitriolage
 Accidental in children

17.  K.S NARAYAN REDDY,The Essentials of Forensic Medicine
and Toxicology, 33rd Edition
 V V PILAY, Textbook of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 15th
Edition