Browsing by Author "Vélez Ruiz, Javier"

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    Caracterización de las muertes producidas por cianuro, en los casos del Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses (Bogotá, Ibagué), durante los años 1998-2001
    (UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA, 2003) JAVIER VELEZ RUIZ RESIDENTE II MEDICINA FORENSE; Vélez Ruiz, Javier; Gutiérrez, Myriam
    Descriptive, retrospective study of 123 deaths due to cyanide poisoning investigated by the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Bogotá and Ibagué between 1998 and 2001. Using death scene reports, autopsy protocols and toxicology laboratory records, the author characterizes sociodemographic variables, place and manner of death, route of administration, gross pathological findings and analytical results. The series shows a predominance of young and middle-aged male victims, mostly suicides, with almost exclusive use of the oral route and frequent occurrence at the victim’s residence. Pink or cherry-red lividity and visceral congestion are reported as typical macroscopic findings, although their documentation is inconsistent. The study highlights the easy availability of cyanide on the market, weaknesses in autopsy descriptions and sample submission, and proposes public health control measures together with improvements in forensic protocols.