Kausalit/itsprobleme beim Nachweis der TStung des Neugeborenen GOTFI~IED WALTHE~ u n d Gi~NTHE~ FAUST :[nstitut ffir Gerichtliche Medizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universit/it Mainz Eingegangen am 17. September 1969 P r o b l e m s i n t h e D i a g n o s i s of H o m i c i d e in N e w b o r n s Summary. In the years of 1948 to 1968 there were carried out 89 forensic post mortem investigations of still borns and life borns.
In two cases there could be proved by post mortem investigation an intrauterine death of fetus with beginning mazeration. There were no indications of outside influences t h a t might have caused the death of the newborns.
In another 20 cases violent death could be proved only by post mortem investigation.
There are the following manners of death: Partial to complete severance from the neck with sharp instruments (scissors, knife, spade) 3 cases. Strangulation 5 cases. Suffocation by violent occlusion of mouth and nose (soft coverings, manual, by gag) 7 cases. Scald (immediatetly after birth the newborn was held under hot water) 1 ease. Consequently only 24,7% of the cases could be cleared through post mortem investigation. Of the remaining 67 post mortem investigations that is 75,3 %, 11 eases could be proved to be violent cases of death with the help of histological examinations and consulting of the investigation results.
There are the following manners of death: Death by drowning (birth into the lavatory, pail or other containers) 5 cases. Death by suffocation or drowning (newborn was left lying between the legs of mother) 3 cases. Death by suffocation 2 cases. Death by suffocation (child was wrapped up in a towel and put into a wardrobe) 1 case.
In some further 7 eases the outer circumstances gave hint to an hostile action towards the newborn (i.e. concealment of pregnancy and birth, birth into the lavatory, into a pail), however death could be also explained as a consequence of birth-complications as there are premature birth, lesion of the tentorium cerebelli, aspiration of amniotic fluid.
In 49 cases (55%) there could not be proved either killing nor death by birth injuries. This high rate deals mainly with unknown corpses (35 cases), which were found in water, in ruins, on cemeteries, in houses and left luggage offices. The corpses were in bad condition, sometimes only the torso or the extremities were left.
From 89 post mortem investigations there were 39 (43,8 % ) premature births. The reason for the relatively high premature birth rate is under discussion.
According to our material the frequency of homicide as well as the way of committing this deliet has not changed during the last 20 years.