[An unusual bodily injury].

Abstract

In most cases, bodily harm results from the use of sharp objects or blunt force. This paper deals with a 42-year-old pharmacist who was known to the police and the courts because of several previous convictions for bodily injury. The man had visited a pub just before it closed and was therefore not served any drinks. He got angry about this and returned to his pharmacy (within walking distance) to fetch three disposable syringes which he filled with phosphoric acid (85%). Through the open pub window, he splattered the acid from the syringes on two guests and the host, who were hit on the upper part of their bodies and the arms. All the victims developed dermal alterations such as focal erythema and small blisters (pemphigus-like efflorescences, as already described by Weyrich). At first, the pharmacist denied the use of phosphoric acid and claimed to have used a mixture of urine and water. Examinations of spots on the still unwashed clothes revealed very low pH-values (ca. 2.0; pH-Indicator-Stripes, Merck; Medi-Test, Machery & Nagel). Tests for substances typical of urine produced completely negative results. However, very high phosphate concentrations were found on the spots in question. Thus, the probability that the pharmacist had used phosphoric acid to commit the offence was very high. The pharmacist was sentenced to one year and two months' imprisonment for dangerous bodily harm according to Section 224 German Criminal Code. In accordance with the law, phosphoric acid was classified as "poison", for which application on the skin is sufficient.