EXTERNAL APPEARANCE OF FORENSIC AUTOPSY MATERIAL OF ALCOHOLICS

Forensic material of alcoholics was compared with controls with regard to the height, weight, state of nutrition, stature, the ageing proces s and the presence of traumatic lesions. Surprisingly, it was found th at alcoholic women were taller than controls. Alcoholics were signific antly more often slightly undernourished, while the extremes, severe o besity or severe undernourishment, did not show any differences. Alcoh olics looked older than their age more often than controls. Not unexpe ctedly, traumatic lesions were more frequent in alcoholics. The lesion s were, however, only rarely the result of deliberate violence, but we re usually suffered when the alcoholic fell whilst under the influence of alcohol.