Legal Medicine
Volume 7, Issue 1 , Pages 47-50 , January 2005

Fatal hypernatremia after using salt as an emetic—report of three autopsy cases

Received 12 April 2004 ,Revised 1 June 2004 ,Accepted 8 June 2004.

References 

  1. Barer J, Hill LL, Hill RM, Martinez WM. Fatal poisoning from salt used as an emetic. Am J Dis Child. 1973;125:889–890
  2. Goodboy RA, Middleton JE, Gamlen TR. Saline emetics and hypernatraemia: report on 2 fatalities. Med Sci Law. 1975;15:261–264
  3. Gresham GA, Mashru MKS. Fatal poisoning with sodium chloride. Forensic Sci Int. 1982;20:87–88
  4. Robertson WO. A further warning on the use of salt as an emetic agent (letter). J Pediatr. 1971;79:877
  5. Ward DJ. Fatal hypernatraemia after a saline emetic. Br Med J. 1963;2:432
  6. Carter RF, Fotheringham BJ. Fatal salt poisoning due to gastric lavage with hypertonic saline. Med J Aust. 1971;1:539–554
  7. Young RSK, Truax BT. Hypernatremic hemorrhagic encephalopathy. Ann Neurol. 1979;5:588–591
  8. Hédouin V, Révuelta E, Bécart A, Tournel G, Deveaux M, Gosset D. A case of fatal salt water intoxication following an exorcism session. Forensic Sci Int. 1999;99:1–4
  9. Rogers D, Tripp J, Benthovim A, Robinson A, Berry D, Goulding R. Non-accidental poisoning: an extended syndrome of child abuse. Br Med J. 1976;1:793–796
  10. Finberg L, Kiley J, Luttrell CN. Mass accidental salt poisoning in infancy. J Am Med Assoc. 1963;184:187–190
  11. Von Mühlendahl KE, Lennert T, Krienke GE. Intoxikationen nach Gabe von Kochsalz als Emetikum. Article in German. Dtsch Med Wschr. 1976;101:335–336
  12. Walter GF, Maresch W. Irrtümliche Kochsalzintoxikationen bei Neugeborenen. Morphologische Befunde und pathogenetische Diskussionen. Article in German. Klin Pädiatr. 1987;199:265–273
  13. Moder KG, Hurley DL. Fatal hypernatremia from exogenous salt intake: report of a case and review of the literature. Mayo Clin Proc. 1990;65:1587–1594
  14. Adrogué HJ, Madias NE. Hypernatremia. N Engl J Med. 2002;342:1493–1499
  15. Kang SK, Kim W, Oh MS. Pathogenesis and treatment of hypernatremia. Nephron. 2002;92(Suppl 1):14–17
  16. Hogan GR, Dodge PR, Gill SR, Master S, Sotos JF. Pathogenesis of seizures occuring during restoration of plasma toxicity to normal in animals previously chronically hypernatremic. Pediatrics. 1969;43:54–64
  17. Morris-Jones PH, Houston IB, Evans RC. Prognosis of the neurological complications of acute hypernatraemia. Lancet. 1976;10:104–116

PII: S1344-6223(04)00030-6

doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2004.06.005

Legal Medicine
Volume 7, Issue 1 , Pages 47-50 , January 2005

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