title: Ingestion of lye.
abstract: This paper reports on the case of a 13-year-old white male who committed suicide by ingestion of heavy duty drain and sewer opener. He left behind a note indicating his suicide. This teenager was grieving over the suicide of one of his friends and was under counseling by a mental health therapist at school. Results of autopsy and toxicological analyses indicated the ingestion of a highly alkaline substance that is consistent with the ingredients of the drain opener mentioned.
authors.affiliation: Allegheny County Department of Laboratories, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Winek
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rozin
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wahba
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rafizadeh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008046:Lip / Q000293:injuries; D008191:Lye / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D008191:Lye; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium