title: Isolated body combustion: new French cases, old worldwide issues.
abstract: The authors present 2 new cases of so-called spontaneous human combustion. The first observations of isolated body combustion, to use a more appropriate term, date back to the 17th century. Its main features are that some parts of the body (usually the middle third) are badly burnt to the point of being reduced to ashes, contrasting with other well-preserved body parts and the intact or nearly intact immediate vicinity of the body. Usually, combustion occurs postmortem, and a source of heat is found near the body. High concentrations of blood alcohol are frequently found but not mandatory. In all cases, ruling out homicide is a major concern.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Médecine Légale et d'Anthropologie médico-légale, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice. gquatreh@unice.fr
authors.forename: Gérald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quatrehomme
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guinier
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Suply
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alunni
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedech
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D018605:Spontaneous Combustion