[the Liland case. The medical-legal declarations].

On the basis of new medico-legal experts' opinions the Norwegian High Court decided in the Liland case that the original medico-legal experts had been mistaken. The prosecution wanted the High Court to hear the experts, but this request was rejected. The High Court's decision led to acquittal of Liland who had been convicted 24 years earlier of a double murder.

Bone strength in infants.

The results from a study of bone strength in normal infants is presented. The fibular bones of infants dying from SIDS were tested mechanically by a three-point bending test and the behaviour of the bony structure determined by measuring several variables. Correlations between these variables and infant age, length, weight and length of fibular bones were found and base-line values for bone strength established.

Sudden death from asthma.

Deaths from asthma investigated by the Department of Forensic Medicine, The Gade Institute, University of Bergen during the period 1977-1986 were recorded. There were 11 cases with information in the police report of the use of pressurised bronchodilating aerosols prior to death. Seven of the victims were found with the aerosol in the hand or close by the body.

The fjord murders.

The method used to locate the bodies of victims of a double murder and retrieve them from the bottom of the sea at a depth of 340 m is reviewed.

Seafaring bodies.

Cases involving two bodies that had drifted for at least 500 km on the high seas are described.

An explosive decompression accident.

Four divers in a compression chamber system were suddenly decompressed from 9 atm to 1 atm. One of the divers was about to close the door between the chamber system and the trunk when the accident happened. He was shot out through the door and severely mutilated.

Changes in autopsy profile--1975 and 1984.

In 1975 diseases of the circulatory system were the major cause of death in our hospital autopsies, with neoplasia a poor second. In 1984 the situation was the reverse. The reduction in diseases of the circulatory system was due mainly to that in cerebrovascular cases, deaths from coronary artery disease being unchanged.

Subependymoma and unexpected death.

A previously healthy 53-year-old man died suddenly and unexpected. The main finding at the post mortem examination was a large 4th ventricle subependymoma, a rare brain tumour related to the ventricles of the brain. The salient features of subependymoma are described with emphasis on the microscopic picture and distinction from subependymal giant cell astrocytoma, as the tumour harboured large, bizarre astrocytes.