Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

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Profile of Fatal Methyl Alcohol Poisoning Outbreak - A Medicolegal Autopsy Case Study


Affiliations
1 Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 3rd Floor A wing, New Medical College Building, Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Sector 5, Nerul (East), Navi Mumbai, India
2 Department of Forensic Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
3 Department of Forensic Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central, India
4 Department of Forensic Medicine, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, India
5 Department of Forensic Medicine, NDMVP Samaj's Medical College, Nashik, Maharashtra, India
     

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A total 41 cases with the history of consumption of illicit liquor were brought to BYL Nair Hospital in the month of December 2004. Out of total 41 cases referred, 17 survived (41.46%), while 20 patients died in the hospital after admission (48.78%) and 4 cases (9.75%) were brought dead. A complete medicolegal autopsy was conducted on these 24 victims. Among the admitted cases CNS symptoms were predominantly presenting complaints. Among the fatal admitted cases, blurring of vision was seen in 60% while dimness of vision was noted in 70% of cases. The common histopathological changes observed were cerebral oedema/congestion (100%), alveolar oedema (95.83%) and haemorrhages (83.33%), fatty change (83.33%), cirrhosis of liver (8.33%), glomerular sclerosis (50%) and hydropic changes in kidney (62.50%). The average blood ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol levels were 87.40 mg% and 69.52% respectively. The predominant cause of death was metabolic acidosis and respiratory failure/coma in 20 cases (83.33%).

Keywords

Illicit Liquor, Blurring/Dimness of Vision, Methyl Alcohol, Medicolegal Autopsy
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  • Profile of Fatal Methyl Alcohol Poisoning Outbreak - A Medicolegal Autopsy Case Study

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Authors

Amit M. Patil
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 3rd Floor A wing, New Medical College Building, Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Sector 5, Nerul (East), Navi Mumbai, India
Satin K. Meshram
Department of Forensic Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Rajesh D. Kharat
Department of Forensic Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central, India
S. C. Mohite
Department of Forensic Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central, India
Walter F. Vaz
Department of Forensic Medicine, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, India
Rajesh B. Sukhadeve
Department of Forensic Medicine, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, India
Ajay T. Shendarkar
Department of Forensic Medicine, NDMVP Samaj's Medical College, Nashik, Maharashtra, India

Abstract


A total 41 cases with the history of consumption of illicit liquor were brought to BYL Nair Hospital in the month of December 2004. Out of total 41 cases referred, 17 survived (41.46%), while 20 patients died in the hospital after admission (48.78%) and 4 cases (9.75%) were brought dead. A complete medicolegal autopsy was conducted on these 24 victims. Among the admitted cases CNS symptoms were predominantly presenting complaints. Among the fatal admitted cases, blurring of vision was seen in 60% while dimness of vision was noted in 70% of cases. The common histopathological changes observed were cerebral oedema/congestion (100%), alveolar oedema (95.83%) and haemorrhages (83.33%), fatty change (83.33%), cirrhosis of liver (8.33%), glomerular sclerosis (50%) and hydropic changes in kidney (62.50%). The average blood ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol levels were 87.40 mg% and 69.52% respectively. The predominant cause of death was metabolic acidosis and respiratory failure/coma in 20 cases (83.33%).

Keywords


Illicit Liquor, Blurring/Dimness of Vision, Methyl Alcohol, Medicolegal Autopsy

References