[Experiences with the polyvinyl alcohol method in forensic medicine practice].

The author reports about his experiences with the polyvinylalcohol (PVAL) method for sampling gunshot residues from the hands of suicides. Traces of blood are no obstacle for the PVAL-method. It is even possible to save gunshot residues with PVAL after sampling with cottonswabs or tape-lifts. High resolution radiography is proposed for the evaluation in addition to the chemographic analysis as a second independent method.