Forensic
Science,
@ Elsevier
Sequoia
7 (1976)
109 -111 S.A., Lausanne - Printed
109 in the Netherlands
THE ESTIMATION OF Mg2+ CONCENTRATION IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (C.S.F.) AS A METHOD OF DROWNING DIAGNOSIS IN SEA WATER A. COUTSELINIS Department (Greece)
Received
and D. BOUKIS
of Forensic
October
Medicine
23, 1975; accepted
and
Toxicology,
February
School
of Medicine,
Goudi,
Athens
24, 1976)
SUMMARY A new laboratory method for the diagnosis of drowning in sea water, based on the measurement of Mg2+ concentration in cerebrospinal fluid is proposed. Observations were carried out in cases of drowning in sea and fresh water. The results are discussed in detail.
INTRODUCTION
The quantitative estimation of Mg2 + concentration in blood [l-3] or in heart wall [4] , as a method of drowning diagnosis has been proposed previously by several authors but the results under field conditions have been disappointing [ 51. Assuming that in cases of drowning the fluctuations of these ions in C.S.F., if they exist, could be more valuable in the solution of the above problem, we tried to investigate them. MATERIAL
AND METHOD
Measurement of Mg2 + concentration was carried out on C.S.F. of 102 cadavers in cases of drowning. Among them 20 were related to drowning in fresh water and 82 in sea water. Immersion time of the bodies varied between 5 to 24 hours. Samples of C.S.F. were taken from the lateral ventricles using syringes and needles carefully washed with twice distilled water. The samples were immediately centrifuged and the supernatant fluid was analyzed, using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer method [6-S] . RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION
The results are summarized in Fig. 1 where the obtained values of the Mg2 + concentration are plotted against time of body immersion in hours. As it is well indicated in Fig. 1, increase of Mg2+ was found in all cadavers
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0 0
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0 0
0
1
0
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+ +t +
+
+
0,5 1 0
2
4
6
8
10
immersion
12
14
76
18
20
22
24
time in hours
Fig. 1. Mg2+ concentration levels in C.S.F. (mequiv/l) in relation to the immersion time of the bodies (in hours) in sea and fresh water. + = fresh water and 0 = sea water.
recovered from sea water, whilst in cadavers from fresh water, Mg2+ levels did not show any change at all. It should be noted that normal values of Mg2+ in C.S.F. have been considered l-2.7 mequiv/l [8] which are in absolute accordance with our observations on the Mg2 + concentration levels in C.S.F. in cases of sudden and violent death. Since the obtained values in all cases of drowning in fresh water were at the same normal levels, we have considered them as reference values. The observed increase of Mg2 + in cases of drowning in sea water seems to have no relation to the time the body remained in sea water, since the obtained values showed no important fluctuations statistically significant, in relation to the immersion time of the body. It was also evident, that the increase of Mg2+ in C.S.F. is not possible when the body is thrown into the water, e.g. the cause of death is different from drowning. Samples were taken at different time intervals after death, varying from 12 to 30 hours. Putrefaction, however, does not change Mg2’ levels in C.S.F. This was quite obvious from the fact that Mg2+ concentration was always within normal limits in cases of drowning in fresh water. In conclusion, increased Mg2 + in C.S.F. is of a significant diagnostic value in cases of drowning in sea water.
111 REFERENCES 1 W. W. Jetter and A. R. Moritz, Changes in the magnesium and chloride contents of blood from drowning in fresh and sea water, Arch. Path., 35 (1943) 601. 2 S. H. Durlacher, H. C. Freiumuth and H. E. Swan, Blood changes in man following death due to drowning, Arch. Path., 56 (1953) 454. 3 A. R. Moritz, Pathology of trauma, 2nd ed., Kimpton, London, 1954, pp. 218. 4 A. Caralla, S. Merli e C. De Zorzi, La determinazione de1 magnesio nella parete cardiara mediante spectrofotometria ad assorbemento atomic0 ai fini della diagnosi di morte per annegamento, Zacchia, 27 (1964) 295-306. 5 F. E. Camps, Recent advances in Forensic Pathology, Churchill, London, 1969, p. 72. 6 J. B. Willis, Determination of calcium and magnesium in urine by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, Ann. Chem., 33 (1961) 556. 7 D. L. Trudeau and E. F. Freier, Determination of calcium in urine and serum, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, Clin. Chem., 13 (1967) 101. 8 Analytical Methods for Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Perkin-Elmer manual (1971) BC-1.
Science,
@ Elsevier
Sequoia
7 (1976)
109 -111 S.A., Lausanne - Printed
109 in the Netherlands
THE ESTIMATION OF Mg2+ CONCENTRATION IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (C.S.F.) AS A METHOD OF DROWNING DIAGNOSIS IN SEA WATER A. COUTSELINIS Department (Greece)
Received
and D. BOUKIS
of Forensic
October
Medicine
23, 1975; accepted
and
Toxicology,
February
School
of Medicine,
Goudi,
Athens
24, 1976)
SUMMARY A new laboratory method for the diagnosis of drowning in sea water, based on the measurement of Mg2+ concentration in cerebrospinal fluid is proposed. Observations were carried out in cases of drowning in sea and fresh water. The results are discussed in detail.
INTRODUCTION
The quantitative estimation of Mg2 + concentration in blood [l-3] or in heart wall [4] , as a method of drowning diagnosis has been proposed previously by several authors but the results under field conditions have been disappointing [ 51. Assuming that in cases of drowning the fluctuations of these ions in C.S.F., if they exist, could be more valuable in the solution of the above problem, we tried to investigate them. MATERIAL
AND METHOD
Measurement of Mg2 + concentration was carried out on C.S.F. of 102 cadavers in cases of drowning. Among them 20 were related to drowning in fresh water and 82 in sea water. Immersion time of the bodies varied between 5 to 24 hours. Samples of C.S.F. were taken from the lateral ventricles using syringes and needles carefully washed with twice distilled water. The samples were immediately centrifuged and the supernatant fluid was analyzed, using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer method [6-S] . RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION
The results are summarized in Fig. 1 where the obtained values of the Mg2 + concentration are plotted against time of body immersion in hours. As it is well indicated in Fig. 1, increase of Mg2+ was found in all cadavers
0
0
0
ooo
0
0 0
00
0
o
0
0
0
0
0 0
0
0
0 0
0
1
0
0
+ +t +
+
+
0,5 1 0
2
4
6
8
10
immersion
12
14
76
18
20
22
24
time in hours
Fig. 1. Mg2+ concentration levels in C.S.F. (mequiv/l) in relation to the immersion time of the bodies (in hours) in sea and fresh water. + = fresh water and 0 = sea water.
recovered from sea water, whilst in cadavers from fresh water, Mg2+ levels did not show any change at all. It should be noted that normal values of Mg2+ in C.S.F. have been considered l-2.7 mequiv/l [8] which are in absolute accordance with our observations on the Mg2 + concentration levels in C.S.F. in cases of sudden and violent death. Since the obtained values in all cases of drowning in fresh water were at the same normal levels, we have considered them as reference values. The observed increase of Mg2 + in cases of drowning in sea water seems to have no relation to the time the body remained in sea water, since the obtained values showed no important fluctuations statistically significant, in relation to the immersion time of the body. It was also evident, that the increase of Mg2+ in C.S.F. is not possible when the body is thrown into the water, e.g. the cause of death is different from drowning. Samples were taken at different time intervals after death, varying from 12 to 30 hours. Putrefaction, however, does not change Mg2’ levels in C.S.F. This was quite obvious from the fact that Mg2+ concentration was always within normal limits in cases of drowning in fresh water. In conclusion, increased Mg2 + in C.S.F. is of a significant diagnostic value in cases of drowning in sea water.
111 REFERENCES 1 W. W. Jetter and A. R. Moritz, Changes in the magnesium and chloride contents of blood from drowning in fresh and sea water, Arch. Path., 35 (1943) 601. 2 S. H. Durlacher, H. C. Freiumuth and H. E. Swan, Blood changes in man following death due to drowning, Arch. Path., 56 (1953) 454. 3 A. R. Moritz, Pathology of trauma, 2nd ed., Kimpton, London, 1954, pp. 218. 4 A. Caralla, S. Merli e C. De Zorzi, La determinazione de1 magnesio nella parete cardiara mediante spectrofotometria ad assorbemento atomic0 ai fini della diagnosi di morte per annegamento, Zacchia, 27 (1964) 295-306. 5 F. E. Camps, Recent advances in Forensic Pathology, Churchill, London, 1969, p. 72. 6 J. B. Willis, Determination of calcium and magnesium in urine by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, Ann. Chem., 33 (1961) 556. 7 D. L. Trudeau and E. F. Freier, Determination of calcium in urine and serum, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, Clin. Chem., 13 (1967) 101. 8 Analytical Methods for Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Perkin-Elmer manual (1971) BC-1.
