Suicide by cyanide: 17 deaths.
We reviewed 17 intentional ingestions of cyanide that occurred in New York City over a ten-year interval. The toxicologic and postmortem findings were reviewed. Certain occupations and nationalities of the decedents predominated among this group of suicides. Scientists, jewelers. and metal workers were common occupations among the decedents. In addition, 8 of 17 fatalities were West Indian/Caribbean Island and South American decedents, including three decedents from Guyana. Fourteen of the 17 fatalities were male. Pink lividity, a "bitter-almond" smell. and a hemorrhagic gastric mucosa were not prevailing findings in these decedents. A color test was used for screening for cyanide with confirmation and quantitation using gas chromatography.
New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner and Department of Forensic Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
James R
JR
Gill
Elizabeth
E
Marker
Marina
M
Stajic
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003486:Cyanides / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D009790:Occupations; D009812:Odorants; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide
D003486:Cyanides