Asphyxial suicide by inhalation of chloroform inside a plastic bag

• Published in: Journal of forensic and legal medicine Vol. 21; pp. 1 - 4
• Main Author: Zorro, Andres Rodriguez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2014; Churchill Livingstone Inc., Medical Publishers
• Subjects: Administration, Inhalation; Adult; Asphyxia - etiology; Asphyxia - pathology; Chloroform; Chloroform - administration & dosage; Chloroform - analysis; Forensic Pathology; Forensic Toxicology; Gases; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives - administration & dosage; Hypnotics and Sedatives - analysis; Internet; Male; Pathology; Plastic bag asphyxia; Plastics; Suffocation; Suicide; Suicides & suicide attempts; Unconsciousness - chemically induced; Vitreous Body - chemistry; Young Adult; Young adults; Plastic bag asphyxia; Chloroform; Suicide; Suffocation
• ISSN: 1752-928X; 1878-7487; 1878-7487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2013.09.035

Asphyxia suicide by placing a plastic bag over the head in addition with inhalation of gases or use of sedative substances is an unusual method of committing suicide, but frequently referenced by right to die groups in the Internet. This article reports 2 suicides in which chloroform was used to induce unconsciousness and subsequent asphyxia by placing the head in a plastic bag. Case histories of 2 males, ages 23 and 28, are described with special emphasis on characteristics death related to suffocation using plastic bags and chloroform. The final remarkable point in both cases is that the victims previously searched the WEB for instructions of suicide methods. The importance of the phenomenon of misuse of Internet by young people who commit suicide is stressed.