Hi:

What a can of worms this opens. First the bottom line: The forensic toxicologist would find the venom and identify it down to the Species, unless the body was lying around decomposing for a few weeks. Any "fresh" cadaver would give up this secret. Forensic scientists live for this sort of case because it's not routine. Best bet is for her to contact a Forensic pathologist or Toxicologist for their thoughts since they are the experts. I'm speculating but I work with Forensic scientists when my job dictates.

Injecting in some of these "out of way" places would most likly be found too. When there is no obvious trama they go over every square inch of the body looking in unusual places. Besides, most of the venoms would leave some sort of tell-tail edema or vascular damage.

If she has to go with some sort of venom..try something from the insect world, like "Jack Jumper" ant venom. This too will leave plenty of evidence behind but you need a lot less venom because the cause of death would be Anaphylaxis. If the victim was sensitized to the venom and then exposed by aerosol no needle tracks would be present and the death may be chalked up to Anaphylaxis cause unknown.

Dr Fry; What do you think?


Best,

Al

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• Novel Research... tracing colubrid venoms post mortum... - LAF, Sat Sep 25 18:40:41 2004
• RE: Novel Research... tracing colubrid venoms post mortum... - phobos, Sun Sep 26 08:27:42 2004
• RE: Novel Research... tracing colubrid venoms post mortum... - BGF, Mon Sep 27 04:22:41 2004
• Trainspotting - BGF, Mon Sep 27 04:26:26 2004
• RE: Trainspotting - phobos, Mon Sep 27 20:12:23 2004
• RE: Novel Research... tracing colubrid venoms post mortum... - rearfang, Sun Sep 26 15:56:15 2004
• RE: Novel Research... tracing colubrid venoms post mortum... - LAF, Sun Sep 26 17:27:29 2004
• RE: Novel Research... tracing colubrid venoms post mortum... - rearfang, Sun Sep 26 20:55:16 2004
• My best friend is a forensic pathologist. - Gargoyle420, Thu Sep 30 01:00:20 2004