夏季 (5～9月) における入浴死

抄録

Recently, many deaths while bathing in the home bath have been reported. During the winter season, hot water at a high temperature is commonly used for bathing. The circulatory system may thus be seriously affected by the hyperthermia load produced by undressing in a cold environment and subsequent bathing in a bathtub at a high temperature followed by a rapid temperature change due to exposure to cold air after bathing. However, death while bathing also occurs in the summer season.
From the cases of death while bathing in the summer season, we found commonality in terms of sex, age, water temperature, bathtub size, and causes of death.
The average age in all cases was 69.7. There were 47 male and 46 female deaths indicating an almost equal ratio. The average water temperature at the time of deaths while bathing was 40.7°C. The typical bathtub size was small, 750 to 900mm. In a small Japanese style bathtub, one must compress the body and therefore become more vulnerable to water pressure.
From these results, warming, drawing in of limbs, and effects of water pressure on the body may contribute to deaths while bathing in the summer season and also are factors produced by bathing throughout the year.