title: Suicide by self-immolation in Berlin from 1990 to 2000.
abstract: We investigated retrospectively the forensic autopsy cases of suicide by self-immolation in Berlin from 1990 to 2000. There were 46 cases (35 men and 11 women), corresponding to 0.76% of all known suicides committed in Berlin during this period. The most common reasons for self-immolation were separation from a partner or financial problems. Two individuals had political reasons. There was a history of mental disturbances in 65% of these suicide cases. The location of the self-immolation was outdoors in 65%, the rest were indoors, except for three victims, who committed suicide in their cars. In nearly all cases, the individuals had doused themselves with an inflammable fluid, usually petrol. One-third of the victims died from burn shock, about 20% from a combination of severe burns and inhalation trauma. The median body surface area burnt was 78% for all cases. The blood had a mean 21% carboxyhemoglobin concentration and 0.07 microg/ml of cyanide. Suicide by self-immolation was committed under the influence of drugs in nine cases and of alcohol in 11 cases.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Hittorfstrasse 18, 14195 Berlin, Germany. rothschild@medizin.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rothschild
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Raatschen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001604:Berlin / Q000453:epidemiology; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000401:mortality*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol