title: Distribution of orally ingested hydrochloric acid in the thoracoabdominal cavity after death.
abstract: The authors encountered a case of hydrochloric acid (HCl) poisoning, thought to be caused by oral ingestion of concentrated HCl. Coagulation of the surface of the tongue and the mucosa of the pharynx, esophagus, and stomach were observed at forensic autopsy. An overabundance of Cl- was found in the gastric contents, corresponding to 8.19 mL of concentrated HCl. This was suggested to be a lethal oral dose of concentrated HCl, and the cause of death was determined to be HCl poisoning. Measuring the pH and concentrations of various ions in body fluids and contents of the alimentary tract enabled postmortem diffusion of HCl to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshitome
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyaishi
authors.forename: Takaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishizu
mesh_terms: D034841:Abdominal Cavity; D000284:Administration, Oral; D002712:Chlorides / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000506:poisoning*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013909:Thorax
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid