Short Communications: Two Cocaine-Induced Fatalities

Two deaths due to cocaine are described. The first is the result of an intravenous injection of the drug. The second death resulted when, in an attempt to smuggle a large amount of the drug into this country, a number of rubber balloons located in the deceased's lower gastrointestinal tract ruptured. Blood and tissue concentrations were determined by using a gas chromatograph equipped with a nitrogen-phosphorous detector; propylbenzoylecgonine was used as the internal standard. Aliquots of the solid material were analyzed and the concentration of cocaine quantitated. The presence and concentrations of adulterants were also determined.