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During the period 1988-1991 HIV-1-antibody tests were performed on a total of 389 autopsied drug addicts. The HIV-1-incidence rose from 6 per cent in 1988 to 14 per cent in 1990 and 14 per cent in 1991. There was no significant difference between the cumulated incidence in males and females. The HIV-1-positive addicts were compared to the HIV-1-negative addicts with respect to mean age, duration of abuse, residence and cause and manner of death. Except for residence, where significantly more HIV-1-positive than negative addicts lived in Copenhagen, there were no significant differences between the two groups. In about one third of the HIV-1-positive cases, equally for males and females, the HIV-1-positivity was not previously known. The results are discussed in relation to the findings in other countries and to the findings in selected groups of living addicts in Copenhagen. It is concluded that the diagnosis of HIV-1-infection in autopsied drug addicts is important from epidemiological and hygienic points of view.

The neuroleptic drug clozapine is used in the treatment of schizophrenia and is characterized by not having the extrapyramidal side-effects usually shown by neuroleptics. Unfortunately clozapine has other side-effects, which limit its use. This study presents methods for the analysis of clozapine and desmethylclozapine in whole blood and tissue. Case histories and pathology findings are described for 3 autopsy cases with fatal concentrations of clozapine, 5 with toxic concentrations and 2 with therapeutic concentrations together with the concentrations found in a living person.

The Gram-negative rod DF-2 was isolated from blood-cultures, the blood sample taken 3 days after death from a 65-year-old woman who had been bitten in her finger by her dog. At the medico-legal external examination marbling of the skin was found, suggesting septicemia. In persons found dead with a history of dog exposition and with no other obvious cause of death, examination for DF-2 should be performed.

In 14,744 autopsy cases from an 18-year period 92 cases (of which 7 were ruled out because of decomposition were observed in which death was supposed to be due to direct acute alcoholic intoxication. In the police reports 81 persons were designated as chronic alcoholics or abusers of spirits. The blood alcohol level ranged between 2.04 and 4.92 o/oo. The cases studied were divided into two groups, one with low and the other with high lethal alcohol level. Fatty liver and cirrhosis were found with identical frequency in the two groups, whereas cardiac hypertrophy of obscure origin occurred markedly more often in the group with low lethal blood alcohol level. On the basis the possible mechanism of death in the cases with cardiac hypertrophy is discussed. Finally, the relation between the blood and urine alcohol concentrations observed in 72 cases is discussed. On the assumption that the water phase of the blood was 75 per cent of the total blood, death occurred in the persons without cardiac hypertrophy with fairly identical frequency either in the phase of absorption or the phase of elimination, whereas in the persons with cardiac hypertrophy death most often occurred in the phase of absorption. These statements should, however, be taken with some reservation, partly because the water phase of the blood may vary considerably post mortem (60-90 per cent) and partly because the urine alcohol concentration depends on serval variable factors.