[Identification of unknown cadavers in forensic medicine practice].

50 unknown dead were identified at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Mainz (Germany) in the years between 1985 and 1993, most of them by dental records, x-ray comparison and morphological findings. This is equivalent to an overall success rate of 94.3%. In most cases unnatural causes of death were established (suicide, accident, and homicide). The male to female rate was more than 2:1. The increase of the number of unknown corpses since 1985 from 5% to nearly 10% of the total number of autopsies may be caused by increasing mobility and anonymity of the population.