[Criminological aspects of the clarification of alkaloid intoxications (author's transl)].

At the turn of the century medical and suicidal alkaloid intoxications, especially with atropine, morphine and strychnine were relatively frequently observed. Apart from morphine, they have today largely disappeared from the view of the general practitioner so that the associations are difficult to interpret in spite of clinical observation. This is shown in 5 observations of which only three could be confirmed as atropine poisoning; one was fatal. The symptoms of intoxication by atropine (or scopolamine) may be misinterpreted as alcoholization, so that chemical analysis is not thought of soon enough. In the differential diagnosis more use should be made of the possibility of a blood alcohol determination in the hospital, but combined effects must, of course, be reckoned with.