GUNSHOT SUICIDE WITH NASAL ENTRY

A man with a long history of depression had recently borrowed a rifle. His body was found on its back in bed in his caravan. A rifle lay ove r the body with the muzzle pointing towards the head. A suicide note w as found at the scene. Autopsy revealed entry via the nose with the tr ack passing through the base of the skull to the right parietal region where the main bullet fragments were located beneath the scalp. The h istory, scene and autopsy findings were consistent with the gunshot wo und being suicidal. We can find only one mention of a suicidal gunshot wound with nasal entry in the English-language literature, although a personal communication informed us of a similar case in the Republic of Ireland within the past two years. We report this case because of i ts unusual nature.