7.4 Types and Evidential Value of Forensic Toxicology Samples (Viscera, Blood and Other Body Fluids)

The samples (the autopsy's-and-clinical's collection): 1. The viscera (the stomach-and-contents, the liver, kidney, brain, the blood-and-urine — the post-mortem's panel); the preservatives' discipline (the sodium fluoride for the blood — the alcohol's stability; the plain-and-sealed containers). 2. The blood (the concentration's measurement — the quantitative core). 3. The urine (the screening's sample — the drugs' metabolites). 4. The vitreous humour (the eye's fluid — the post-mortem's stable sample). 5. The hair-and-nails (the chronic's record — the long-window detection). The evidential value: the cause's proof (the poisoning's-and-overdose's confirmation); the contribution's proof (the multiple-cause deaths — the intoxication's role); the impairment's proof (the driving- and-capacity cases — U7.7); the time's estimation (the concentration's-and-redistribution's caveats).