Drowning

Ref: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology by K S Narayan Reddy, 27th edition, Page 326.

D i.e. Hemodilution, overloading of heart and hemolysis resulting in release of potassium

D i.e. Can cause secondary drowning

D i.e. All

D i.e. None

D i.e. None

D i.e. All

Accidental (>suicidal) is the most common type of drowningQ

In suicidal drowning body should be free from marks of any injury indicating an assault or struggle (violence)e. In cases of women the body is usually fully dressed and clothes are tied in such a manner that their private parts are not exposed. Sometimes a determined suicide may tie his legs & hands together or attach weights to his body, take poison, or cut throat before immersion. However, it should be examined whether tie could have been made by person himself.

– If the body is found with heavy weights attached to it or hand & legs tied with rope, it must be either homicide or suicide and with children homicide alone.

Homicidal drowning is very rare except in infants & children. Mark of severe violence applied to head, strangulation, throttling, or bruises are strongly presumptive of homicide.

Post mortel injuries by fishes, crabs, frogs etc. lack signs of vital reaction.

Ans. A: Vagal hyperactivity

Causes of death in drowning:

• Asphyxia
• Ventricular fibrillation/ if an examination of the larynx reveals that a spasm occurred, the victim may have died from sudden exposure to the cold, which caused an immediate heart attack.
• Laryngeal spasm
• Vagal inhibition
• Exhaustion
• Injuries
• In some cases, hypothermia may have been the cause of death rather than drowning.

Bodies discovered in the water are examined to see whether water is actually present in the airway and stomach of the victim and if the lungs have swollen up. If such signs are apparent, then the victim did actually die due to drowning. Further examination of the corpse will reveal if bleeding occurred in the lungs, suggesting that there was a struggle for breath during the drowning.

Ans. Hypovolemia

Ans. Hemoglobin increases

Ans. Hyperkalemia

Ans. Water does not enter lungs because of laryngeal spasm

Ans. Vagal inhibition

Ans. is ‘c’ i.e. Hyperkalemia

Ans. is ‘c’ i.e., Accidental

• Most of the cases of drowning (2/3) in India are accidental. Rest 1/3 being suicidal. Homicidal drowning is less common in india.
• Suicidal drowning is indicated by absence of signs of struggle or assault (e.g. torn clothes, injury marks). A determined suicide may tie his hands and legs together or attach weights to his body or take poison or cut throat before immersion.
• In homicidal drowning, there are signs of struggle and violence (assault) (e.g. head injury, signs of strangulation, or throttling). Head and feet may be tied, heavy weight may be attached to body or body may be tied up inside a gunny bag. Homicidal drowning is very rare except in infants and children.
• Accidental drowning is quite common and usually seen in children, non-swimmers, during floods or due to fall in well etc.