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Most cases of ecstasy overdose turn out to be accidental, whereas suicide attempts with designer drugs occur only sporadically. We report an announced suicide by means of a combination of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA). During autopsy, sampling for toxicological investigation (peripheral blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, bile and gastric contents) occurred. Serum concentrations as high as 13.33 mg/l for MDMA, 7.32 mg/l for MDEA and 0.43 mg/l for 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine were found. Ecstasy tablets, which were confiscated by the police a few days earlier, showed also a combination of MDMA and MDEA. This fact suggests that the ingested tablets probably came from the same source as the seized pills.

We report on a 52-year-old man who committed suicide by jumping in a 380 cm long rope with a diameter of 12 mm. The loading forces resulted in complete decapitation. Our biomechanical experiments show that traction-forces of about 12000 Newton lead to complete decapitation irrespectively of the diameter of the used halter. The biomechanical results made it possible to show the possible fall-hights in dependence upon bodymass and distance of negative acceleration "s" graphically. The curves are valid for a constant deceleration during the distance "s", which is determined by lengthening of the rope and circumference of the neck.

Report on a 34 year old man who bled to death sitting in an empty bath-tub by suicidal cutting in his groin. The source of the bleeding was a small lesion of the femoral vein with a diameter of 2 mm. No endogenous or exogenous coagulopathies could be established.

Two cases of fatal chloral hydrate poisoning are reported. The young men were prisoners in jails of Vorarlberg. During their captivity the doctor prescribed them 4 g chloral hydrate per day because of insomnia. They accumulated some doses and consumed it all together. Causes of death were brain swelling with premature craniostenosis in one case and vomiting with aspiration of stomach content in the other. Morphological and toxicological findings are presented and juridical consequences are turned out.

In judicial and police circles - sometimes even in circles of medical professionals - it is still often thought that suicidal strangulation by ligature is impossible. Reviewing the forensic literature we could find more than 200 cases that have been published earlier. We report another 4 cases of suicidal strangulation. The main problems of criminalists and medical examiners in such cases are discussed. Primary investigation of the corpse in original position by a forensic scientist is of high importance.

Technical characteristics of the used fire-arm and ammunition, the firing range and the shot through garments of the victim are essential factors, that exercise an influence on the appearance of gunshot injuries. An exemplary case-report shall emphasize the importance of these factors. It deals with a suicidal double-shot fired from an automatic rifle by a young soldier. The wounds were localized in the left chest region and the adjacent skin was blackened by soot in a remarkable geometrical pattern, although an ammunition with a smokeless charge has been used. By means of comparative shots we have good reasons to suppose this phenomenon to be caused by rests of gun powder and pressure of the explosion gas leaved in the barrel after the first shot. The second projectile pushed out this explosion gas to the skin that had been uncovered in a star-shaped way by the first shot.

In September 1989 an old motor car was accidentally discovered in a lake, 50 meters below the water surface. The automobile contained the torso of an adult woman with extensive adipocere formation and the skeletonized body of a man. Forensic and criminalistic investigations lead to the identification of the deceased persons. In the year 1939 the persons together had committed suicide. The corpses were immersed for fifty years.