Viscera recovered at autopsy in a suspected poisoning case are preserved in rectified spirit. Rectified spirit is CONTRAINDICATED as a preservative when poisoning by which substance is suspected?
- A Arsenic
- B Ethyl alcohol ✓
- C Organophosphorus compounds
- D Strychnine
Correct answer: B. Ethyl alcohol
Explanation
Rectified spirit is the routine preservative for viscera, but it must never be used when the suspected poison belongs to the same volatile group, namely ethyl alcohol, chloroform, ether, paraldehyde, acetic acid, phenol or iodine, because the preservative itself would contaminate the analysis. In such cases saturated sodium chloride solution is preferred. Arsenic, organophosphates and alkaloids like strychnine are chemically unrelated to ethanol and are unaffected by spirit, so those cases pose no analytical conflict.
Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Narayan Reddy, 34th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.