Deaths Caused by Animals in Finland

An average of five people die annually in Finland of injuries caused by domestic animals. During the years 1957–68 the greatest number of deaths (30) was caused by horses, then by cows (18), and bulls (11). Dogs had killed 2 people and a cat and ram 1 person each. None of these deaths was a result of bites. Poisonous animals caused 22 deaths during the years 1936–68. Out of these 22, 20 were snake bites (the last one in 1961) and 2 were wasp stings (the last one in 1959). In 1969, a very unusual death was caused by pigs in Turku. A farmer was found dead in the pigsty among 12 pigs. He had lain there for about six hours. The autopsy showed that he had suffered from severe aortic stenosis. The viscera showed signs of cardiac failure. The pigs had gnawed the soft parts of the face, the eyes, all organs of the neck, and the genitals. Biochemical determination of histamine and serotonin proved that the wounds had been caused before death. Organs of the abdominal cavity had also been crushed. Bites and marks of pigs' feet were observed all over the body. Most likely, the man had fallen into the pigsty because of a heart attack. He had obviously been unable to move and was possibly unconscious when the pigs had savaged him.