Correlation among age, concentrations of
carboxyhemoglobin and
hydrogen cyanide,
oxygen density and
hemolysis were studied in 120 house fire victims. Victims aged over 60 years comprised approximately 50% of the pooled subjects. Blood samples were mainly collected from the left ventricle, but sometimes from both the right and left ventricles. The concentration of
carboxyhemoglobin ranged from 1-95%, of which 71 persons (59.7%) died with
carboxyhemoglobin concentrations below 60%.
Carboxyhemoglobin concentrations below 10% were found in 9 persons (7.5%). Most of these cases involved the elderly persons. In this paper, we report on the death of elderly victims as a result of low
carboxyhemoglobin concentrations. A significant correlation of blood
carboxyhemoglobin concentrations existed between the right and left ventricles. The concentration of
carboxyhemoglobin in the left ventricle was significantly higher than that in the right. Two out of 31 victims whose
hydrogen cyanide concentrations were determined, succumbed to
hydrogen cyanide poisoning, having a high concentration of
hydrogen cyanide and a low concentration of
carboxyhemoglobin. On analysis,
oxygen density was found to be low in 13 persons. A negative correlation was shown between
carboxyhemoglobin concentration and
hemolysis. Inasmuch as
hemolysis may indicate the extent of heat dissociation,
hemolysis should provide an index of
carbon monoxide dissociation from
carboxyhemoglobin. In the present study of victims, possible causes of death i.e.,
carbon monoxide gas poisoning,
hydrogen cyanide poisoning,
oxygen deprivation, burning,
shock due to
burns and others were estimated. The survival time for elderly victims was considered to be short.