Toxicological Findings in Fatal Poisonings

Abstract

Abstract Anyone who must decide whether the amount of toxic substance present in a specimen is sufficient to indicate that the substance may have been the cause of death is aware of the difficulty of finding information to guide that decision. Opinions are given concerning therapeutic and toxic concentrations in human tissues for most of the common drug and chemical poisons. These include alcohols, amitriptyline, amphetamine, arsenic, barbiturates, boron, bromides, carbon monoxide, chloral hydrate, chlordiazepoxide, cyanide, diazepam, diphenylhydantoin, ethchlorvynol, fluoride, glutethimide, heroin (morphine), imipramine, lead, LSD, marihuana, meperidine, meprobamate, methadone, methamphetamine, methaqualone, nicotine, nortriptyline, orphenadrine, paraldehyde, pentazocine, phenothiazines, propoxyphene, quinine, salicylates, and strychnine.