SOFT 2004 Meeting Abstracts - Society of Forensic Toxicologists

P25
ECSTACY MANUFACTURE: A CASE FOR QUALITY CONTROL
Jim Gerostamoulos*, Matthew Lynch, and Olaf H. Drummer.
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, 57-83
Kavanagh St., South bank, Victoria 3006, AUSTRALIA
This case report involves the death ofa 25 year old male who was found deceased in his boarding room some
2!t2 days after last being seen alive. The decedent's body was located face down on his bed. There were no
signs of drug use and no medication/illicit drugs were discovered at the scene by attending police.
A full autopsy was performed on the deceased to determine the cause of death. Macroscopic findings
indicated putrefactive changes with extensive autolysis of internal organs in keeping with early stages of
decomposition. There was marked pUlmonary oedema and bilateral hydronephrosis. There were no other
significant pathological findings. Specimens submitted for toxicological analysis revealed a free morphine
concentration (cavity blood)-60 mgIL; 4.2 mg/kg (liver); total morphine 76 mgIL (urine); and 190 mg of
morphine in stomach contents. No 6-acetyl morphine was detected in blood or urine, and no other drugs or
alcohol were detected. The cause of death was given as morphine toxicity.
Additional information provided by the family indicated a family history of sleep apnoea. Tablets, located in
the decedent's bedroom and which according to the girlfriend belonged to the deceased, were submitted to
the laboratory for analysis some weeks after the death. The 3 tablets (green, scored with the markings CK on
either side) and initially purchased presumably as ecstacy, were identified as containing 100 mg of morphine
with trace amounts of methamphetamine. The decedent had consumed at least two of these tablets or more
resulting in his death. This case illustrates the danger of experimenting with illicit drugs and serves as a
reminder that information germane to medicolegal death investigation can come from a variety of sources.
The Coroner found that the death was an accidental overdose.
Keywords: ecstacy, morphine, death.
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