[The medical post-mortem examination - step by step].

The physician has to make numerous and legally far-reaching determinations in the course of the post-mortem examination. These can have considerable consequences for relatives and, moreover, for society. Therefore, the correct performance of post-mortem examinations and the correct evaluation of the findings is an extremely responsible task that every physician should master.

Macromorphological findings in cases of death in water: a critical view on "drowning signs".

Death in water is a challenging issue in forensic pathology since from natural death to homicide all circumstances of death in water are conceivable. Therefore, the correct interpretation of all abnormal autopsy findings is important. In order to determine a death by drowning, numerous internal and external signs of drowning are already described.

[Fatal flecainide intoxication in a 17-year-old girl].

A 17-year-old girl was found vomiting and somnolent at home and was taken to a hospital. The girl initially presented with ventricular tachycardia with broad QRS complexes which was very difficult to control. During the course a subsequent cardiogenic shock developed and despite exhaustion of all therapeutic options the fatal outcome could not be averted.

Penetrating chest trauma caused by a blank cartridge actuated rubber ball projectile: case presentation and ballistic investigation of an uncommon weapon type.

Recently, an increasing number of an uncommon weapon type based on a caliber 6-mm Flobert blank cartridge actuated revolver which discharges 10-mm-diameter rubber ball projectiles has been confiscated by police authorities following criminal offenses. A recent trauma case presenting with a penetrating chest injury occasioned an investigation into the basic ballistic parameters of this type of weapon. Kinetic energy E of the test projectiles was calculated between 5.