1. FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY
Forensic Toxicology- study of poisons to the
elucidation of question that arise in judicial
proceedings.
Toxicology- the science of poisons. It deals with the
origin, physical and chemical properties,
physiological actions and symptoms, lethal doses,
proper antidotes indicated, specific identification
and quantification, and evaluation and
interpretation of the results.
2. Poison- is any agent which may produce an
injurious or deadly effect when introduced
into the living body. A very potent poison is
one, which requires less that 5 grams to
produce these effect.
- is substance which, when introduced
into the body and is absorbed through the
blood stream, and acting chemically, is
capable of producing noxious effect or
destroy life.
3. CLASSIFICATION OF
POISONS
I. According to Kingdom:
a. Animal, (cantharides)
b. Vegetable, (strychnine)
c. Mineral, (HCl)
II. According to Chemical Properties:
a. Inorganic Poisons
1.Volatile and Non-Volatile,
(bromine, sulfuric acid)
2. Mineral Acids, (HCl)
3. Mineral Alkali’s, (NaOH)
4. b. Organic Poisons
1. Volatile, (alcohol, cyanides, chloroform)
2. Alkaloids, (strychnine)
3. Animal Poisons, (snake venom)
4. Bacterial, (ptomaine)
5. Organic Acids, (salicylic acid)
III. According to Physiological Action:
a. Corrosives - highly irritant poisons which cause local
destructions of tissues and characterized by nausea,
vomiting, great local distress. (strong acids and alkalies)
b. Irritants – one that produces irritants or
inflammation of the mucous membrane and
characterized by vomiting, pain in abdomen, and
purging. (arsenic, croton oil, cantharides)
5. c. Neurotics - one which act chiefly on the nervous
system producing delirium, convulsions, and coma with
disordered circulation and respiration as the outstanding
symptoms. (alcohol, opium, CO, strychnine)
d. Narcotics - poisons which produces stupor,
complete insensibility, or loss of feeling. (opium, Demerol,
cocaine and cocaine substitutes)
e. Tetanics - substances which act directly upon
the spinal cord producing such spasmodic, and continuous
contraction of muscles as a result of stiffness or immobility
of the parts to which they are attached. (nux vomica,
strychnine, brucine)
f. Depressant or Sedatives - agents which
retard or depress the physiological action of an organ.
(antipyrine, nicotine, cocaine)
6. DOSE
The quantity of poison to be administered at one time.
KINDS OF DOSE:
1. Safe dose – one that does not cause harmful effect
2. Toxic or poisonous dose – one that is harmful to both healthy
and sick
3. Lethal dose – one that kills
4. Minimum dose – is the smallest amount that will produce the
therapeutic effect without causing harm.
5. Maximum dose – is the largest amount that will cause no harm
but at the same time produce the desired therapeutic effect.
7. ANTIDOTES
Agents which neutralize a poison or otherwise counteract or
oppose it or its effect.
KINDS OF ANTIDOTES:
a. Mechanical antidote – an agent that removes the poison
without changing it or coats the surface of the organ so that
absorption is prevented.
Ex. Stomach tubes or pumps, emetics, cathartics, demulcents and
precipitants
b. Chemical antidotes – substances that make the poison harmless
by chemically altering it.
8. c. Physiological antidote – sometimes called ANTAGONIST. An
agent that acts upon the system so as to counteract the effect of
the poison. It merely mask the symptoms produced.
EMETICS – are substances that produce vomiting.
CATHARTICS – agents which produce intestinal evacuation.
DEMULCENTS – substances which soothe and protect the part
which they are applied.
PRECIPITANTS – these are substances which prevent
absorption of poisons by precipitating them and rendering
them soluble.
9. TYPES OF POISONING:
I. From Medical point of View
a. Acute poisoning – characterized by a
marked disturbance of function or death
within a short time.
b. Sub-acute poisoning – cases of short
duration and extreme violence which may
include some symptoms of chronic poisoning.
c. Chronic poisoning – characterized by
gradual deterioration of function of tissues
which may or may not result in death.
10. II. From the Legal Point of View
a. Accidental - those in which the poison
was taken without intension to cause death.
b. Suicidal – those in which the poison was
taken by the victim voluntarily for the
purpose of taking his own life.
c. Homicidal – those in which the poison was
given willfully, wantonly and with intent to
cause death.
d. Undetermined - those in which the history
is hazy as to how the poison was obtained and
why it was administered.
11. ACTIONS OF POISONS
I. Local – the changes or disturbance produced
on that part with which the poison comes in
contact.
II. Remote – the changes or disturbance produced
in distant parts away from the site of
application.
III. Combined – the effect of poison is not only
localized at the site but also affects remote
organs, e.g. Phenol causes corrosion of gastro-
intestinal tract (local) and causes convulsions
(action on the cord)
12. CONDITIONS MODIFYING THE
ACTIONS OF POISONS:
a) Those attributed to the individual:
1. Age – as a general rule, infants and children
are more susceptible to the effects of a poison.
2. Health – persons who are sickly are found to
be more susceptible than persons enjoying
good health.
3. Habit – certain poisons when taken in
repeated but small doses may build up an
immunity or tolerance to the poisons so that if
the dose is gradually increased, a relatively
larger dose may be given without toxic effect.
13. 4. Idiosyncrasy – a term applied to individuals
who exhibit unusual reactions to a certain
substance.
5. Disease – may cause increased or
decreased susceptibility to the drug.
6. Food – food in the stomach has
marked influence on the effect of a poison.
7. Sleep – has a tendency to diminish or
retard the action of the poison due to lessened
functional activity.
8. Exhaustion – increases susceptibility of
the individual due to reduced resistance.
14. B) Those which are attributed to the poison:
1. Physical state or form of the poison – a
poison is more rapidly absorbed in gaseous
than in solid form.
2. Dilution – generally the more dilute a
poison the more rapidly absorbed.
3. Dose – quantity a poison to be administered
at one time.
4. Solubility of the poison- since the poison,
before it can act must first be absorbed, so it
is necessary that it be capable of solution.
15. 5. Mode of administration – a poison acts more
rapidly when inhaled in a gaseous or vapor form, or
when injected intravenously.
6. Chemical combination – some substances when in
certain combinations are very poisonous but when in
others are comparatively innocuous.
7. Mechanical combination – if the liquid used as
vehicle for the poison is of lower specific gravity, the
poison may form sediments in the vessel and thus the
quantity actually swallowed could be less than when
the liquid is of higher specific gravity.
8. Combination of the surface where the poison was
applied – where there is much blood absorbed, the
action is rapid.
16. Entrance and elimination of
poisons:
a) Poisons may enter the body through:
1.Mouth
2.Nose
3.Eyes
4. Rectum, vagina, urethra, bladder
5. Hypodermic injection
6. Intravenous injection
17. B) Poisons may be eliminated by:
1. Respiration
2. Feces
3. Urine
4. Milk
5. Sweat
6. Saliva
7. Tears
18. DIAGNOSIS OF POISONING:
1. Symptoms of poisoning come suddenly
upon a person who previously has been in
good health, while diseases is usually
proceeded by a number of hours, days or
even weeks.
2. In cases of poisoning, the symptoms
commonly make their appearance after
taking food, drinks, or medicine.
19. 3. If several persons take the same food and
drinks, they should all show similar symptoms.
4. Diseases are generally much slower in their
progress and are preceded by circumstances as
exposure, recognized symptoms, and general or
local indisposition of longer duration.
There are several diseases simulating poisons;
those causing the greatest confusion with irritant
poisons are acute indigestion, ulceration of the
stomach, gastroenteritis, appendicitis, intestinal
obstruction, and hepatic or renal colic.
Symptoms of a neurotic poison may be caused
by hysteria, inflammation of the brain and its
coverings, cerebral hemorrhage,
thrombosis,epilepsy, tetanus and organic heart
disease.
20.
21. PESTICIDES are chemical substances
that have in common the capability of
destroying life of some form and are
classified as pesticides because the
organisms against which they are directed
are deemed to be undesirable by the
person or society that applies them.
22. INSECTICIDES - represent one
group of pesticides that
are used in large quantities
and have a history of causing toxic
effects in man.
30. The following summary is provided for the use of
layman in the giving of first aid treatment in an
emergency:
a. Identification of unknown toxic agent
1. Physical state (solid, liquid, gas)
2. Odor
3. Trade Name
4. Use
5. Presence of poison label
6. Inflammability warning
31. b.Universal Antidote
1. Dilute the poison by having the patient drink any
of the ff: milk, beaten eggs, a suspension of flour and
a glass of water.
c. Injected Poison (overdose of drugs
1. Make the patient lie down.
2. Apply a tourniquet between the point of injection
on the limb and the heart.The pulse should not
disappear in the blood vessels beyond the tourniquet
nor should a throbbing sensation be felt by the
patient. Loosen the tourniquet every 10 to 15
minutes.
32. d. Eye Contamination
1. Hold the eyelids apart, wash the affected
eye every five (5) minutes with running
water, gently from the hose or the tap.
2. Do not use antidotes.
e. Skin Contamination
1. Wash the skin with tap water.
2. Direct a stream of water while removing
the patients clothing.
3. Do not use a chemical antidote.
f. Inhaled Poison
1. Carry the victim to an area with fresh air
and loosen clothing.
2. Give artificial respiration.
33. g. Ingested Poison
1. Do not attempt treatment if the patient is convulsing or
unconscious.
2. If the patient has ingested corrosives such as strong
acids like Sulfuric acid, Nitric acid, etc., avoid stomach
tube, emetics, or carbonates. Give milk of Magnesia and
quantities of water or milk, follow with whites of eggs and
milk. Keep the victim warm and quiet.
3. If a powerful alkali such as sodium hydroxide or
potassium hydroxide has been swallowed, the patient is
given a weak acid such as citric acid in fruit juices, or
acetic acid in vinegar, which nullifies the damaging effect
of the alkali by neutralizing it.
NOTE: Avoid emetics if strong acids or alkalies; it
will do as much harm as the original poison.
34. 4. If petroleum distillate like gasoline, kerosene, paint
thinner, lighter fluids, etc. has been ingested, empty
the stomach at once with emetics. Remove gasoline-
soaked clothing. Apply external heat and keep warm.
Avoid alcohol or camphor as stimulants, use only
black coffee or aromatic spirits of ammonia ( 1
teaspoonful in ½ glass of water ). Artificial
respiration and oxygen, if required. Rest if necessary.
5. Common symptoms are nausea, vomiting and
abdominal pains.
In all emergency situations, send for a physician at
once. Make this your first and most important duty.
Do not attempt to do more than is indicated for first
aid treatments
35. Common Volatile, Non-Volatile
and Metallic Poisons
1. Benzene – also called benzol, a solvent for rubber, gums,
resins, fats.
2. Carbon disulfide – a solvent for sulfur, burns with bluish
flame giving carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.
3. Nitrobenzene – a pale yellow, oily liquid with sweet odor,
resembles oil of bitter almond.
4. Formalin – an embalming fluid.
5. Picrotoxin – derived from fish berries (the fruit of picrotoxin),
locally known as “lagtang”.
6. Strychnine – an alkaloid found in dried ripe seeds of nux
vomica.
36. 7. Arsenic – a rat poison, brittle, steel gray.
8. Methyl alcohol or methanol – causes blindness, also called
wood alcohol.
9. Formic acid – acid found in ants and spiders.
10. Hydrogen cyanide – found in kamoteng kahoy, also called
hydrocyannic acid or prussic acid.
11. Ptomaine – found in dead or decaying matter like spoiled
meat (bacterial poisoning).
12. Carbon monoxide – produced by the incomplete combustion
of carbon, found in exhaust of automobile.
13. Bufotoxin – also known as bufotalin or bufotonin, poisonous
substance isolated from the skin of poisonous frog.
14. Hydrogen sulfide – a poisonous substance with odor like that
of a rotten egg.
37. 15. Muscarine – poison that is obtained from fly mushroom.
16. Cyanide – a violent volatile poison producing almond odor
vomitus of the victim.
17. Cantharide – an aphrodisiac, prepared from the dried body of
a beetle.
18. Toluene – colorless, mobile, inflammable liquid which burns
with smoky flame, found in rugby.
19. Ethyl alcohol or ethanol – alcohol found in wine, also called
grain alcohol.
20. Scopolamine – poisonous alkaloid found in some plants of the
Nightshade family and used as “truth serum”.
38. EMERGENCY INFORMATION FOR
IMMEDIATE REFERENCE
1.ACETIC ACID:
Used to make acetates, acetate plastics,
acetate rayon; and as a solvent.
Symptoms:
Skin is yellow where it comes in contact
with the acid; burns on the lips and mouth;
pain in the throat and stomach;difficulty in
swallowing; nausea and vomiting; feeble
pulse; diarrhea and collapse.
39. EMERGENCY TREATMENT:
Summon a physician at once. Avoid stomach tube,
emetics, or carbonates if the acid taken was
concentrated. Give milk of magnesia and quantities
of water and milk;
follow with whites of eggs and milk. Keep the
victim warm and quiet.
2.HYDROCHLORIC ACID:
Used extensively in industry and in the
laboratory.
SYMPTOMS:
The lips and mouth on contact with the acid are
usually white at first but later turn brown.Pain in the
throat and stomach; difficulty in swallowing;nausea
and vomiting; feeble pulse;diarrhea and collapse.
40. EMERGENCY TREATMENT:
Summon a physician at once. Avoid stomach tube,
emetics, or carbonates if the acid taken was concentrated. Give
milk of magnesia and quantities of water or milk; follow with
whites of eggs and milk. Keep the victim warm and quiet.
2.HYDROCYANIC ACID:
Gas used as a fumigant for citrus trees, and in ships
against rodents and vermin; salts used for case-hardening steel.
SYMPTOMS:
Possesses a peculiar peach blossom odor. Nausea and
vomiting; feeble pulse; shallow breathing; dyspnea; cyanosis;
convulsions and collapse.
41. EMERGENCY TREATMENT:
Summon a physician at once. The
treatment must be prompt. Have the victim
inhale amyl nitrite for about 20 seconds.
Give 2 tablespoonfuls of hydrogen
peroxide and quantities of water, and repeat
until the vomitus contains no odor of
hydrocyanic acid. Apply artificial
respiration if necessary. Keep the victim
warm and quiet.
42. Poison
. any substance which gets inside a human
body and causes serious injury or death.
TOXICOLOGY
. the detection and identification of
poisons.
43. Classification of poisons:
1. by the effects caused
2. by their nature – gases, metals, acids, etc.
3. by the means they get inside body:
eating,breathing, puncture of the skin, or by
insertion through the natural holes in the body.
4. By the methods used to extract or isolate them:
a. volatile poisons
b. non-volatile poisons
c. metallic poisons
d. insecticides
44. General Conditions that control the
action of poisons:
1. Administration
- poisonous gases, vapors, or sprays
inhaled – absorption is rapid and
effects greater than when intra-
venously or subcutaneously
administered, than when solution is
taken
by mouth (orally) than if taken in solid
form.
45. 2. AGE
. As a general rule ionfants and adults
are more susceptible to the effects of poisons
than are adults.
. Except for belladonna, calomel and
strychnine for which actions, children are
less susceptible.
3. FOOD
. When the stomach is empty the effects
will be rapid, but when full there may be a
considerable delay in the action of a poison.
