Cyanide dermatosis or a post-mortem artefact?--A case report

Abstract

A case of a chronic alcoholic, found dead in the afternoon after consuming an intoxicant early in the morning and showing post-mortem skin slippage with a blackened charred-like appearance, is reported. Viscera chemical analysis gave a positive test for significant quantities of cyanide. However, on histopathological examination, since no evidence of blister formation or vital reaction in the skin tissues were found, this was thought to be a very short duration, accelerated postmortem change phenomenon, due to local heating from contact with the sun-baked terrace.