This document provides guidelines for the proper collection, preservation, packaging, and documentation of samples for poisoning cases. It outlines which tissues should be collected for various suspected poisons, such as liver and kidneys for arsenic or stomach contents for alkaloids. It recommends fixatives like alcohol or sodium fluoride for tissues and blood. Samples should be sealed and labeled with case details before forwarding to a laboratory for analysis within six months. Histopathology specimens of lesions and normal tissues fixed in formalin can also help diagnose the cause of death.

1. Presented by
Dr Ajith Y. MVSc
Division of Medicine
IVRI, Izatnagar, UP, India

2. Collection
Recording

3. An individual's medical or social unacceptable
condition as a consequence of being under
influence of an exogenous substance in a
dose too high for the person concerned.
Poisoning occurs when any substance interfer
es with normal body functions after it is
swallowed, inhaled, injected, or absorbed.

4. Suspected poison Material to be collected
(in order of importance)
Arsenic (Acute) Liver>Kidneys>Stomach contents
Arsenic (Chronic) Hair>Liver>Urine
Alkaloids Liver & Urine>Brain>Stomach contents
Copper Liver
Cyanide Stomach contents>Liver>Oxalated blood
Insecticides (Chlorinated) Fat>Liver>Stomach contents
Insecticide (OP ) Oxalated bllood>Whole blood>Stomach
contents
Nitrate and Nitrite Stomach contents>Whole blood

5. Suspected
poison
Material to be collected
(in order of importance)
Lead (Acute) Kidneys>Liver>Urine
Lead (Chronic) Hair>Liver>Kidneys>Urine
Mercury Liver>Kidneys>Stomach contents> Intestinal
contents
Phosphorus Stomach contents>Liver>Oxalated blood
Phenols-Cresols Liver>Stomach contents>Kidneys
Rodenticides Stomach contents>Liver>Urine
Strychnine Stomach contents & Urine>Liver>Brain>Kidneys
Sodium chloride Oxalated blood>Brain>Stomach contents>Liver

6. Tissue/Organ Quantity
Blood 30-50 ml
Brain Entire
Fat 200g
Hair 5-10g
Intestinal contents 500-1000g
Kidneys One
Liver 500-1000g
Stomach contents Large animal: 500-
1000g
Small animal: Entire
Urine All available

7.  TISSUES
• Alcohol (70%) is the most suitable preservative.
• In suspected cases of alcohol/phenol/other volatile
substances poisoning, saturated common salt solution.
• Whole tissue must be dipped in the solution.
• Powdered common salt also can be used: But cautiously
 BLOOD
• Sodium fluoride (20mg/ml)
• Sodium citrate (5mg) & Mercuric chloride (0.1mg) per ml

8. • Forward to chemical examiner immediately
• Preserve upto six months
• After six months, destroy after obtaining permission
from Magistrate
• Containers: Wide mouth Arsenic free glass bottles
with air tight stoppers -2L capacity

9. • Packing and Sealing:
- Proper sealing important in vetero-legal cases
- In such a way that, no tampering without damaging
or removing seal impressions
- Sealed glass bottles packed in wooden box with
packing material, to prevent breakage during transit.
- Wooden box again to be sealed
• Labeling: In both glass bottle and Wooden box
- Case details, Place and date of sample, Details of
content, Preservation methods, Signature of
Veterinarian

10. • Forwarding letter:
- Animal details: Species, Age, Sex, Identification
mark, lesion location
- Sample specimen seal used in package.
- List of articles forwarded and mode of transit
- Necropsy report
- Details on purpose of analysis
- Copy of Inquest
- 25 ml of the sample preservative in separate bottle
- Reference number of this letter to be labeled in bottle

11. LABORATORY SPECIMEN RECORD

12. • Helpful in diagnosing cause of death
• To be fixed as soon as they are removed from animal.
• Specimen must include both lesion and normal part
• Specimen size: 0.5 to 1 cm
• Most common fixative used is 10% formalin
• Fixative: About 10 times volume of tissue
• Other fixatives: Alcohol, Mercuric chloride, chromates,
osmic acid, picric acid.