Download Death - Kohli Science

Chapter 11
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Brain death
End of blood circulation
Autolysis
(Fig. 11-1 from book removed)
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“Manner of Death”
 Natural death
 Accidental death
 Suicidal death
 Homicidal death
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Cause of Death
 Describes events leading to death
 Examples: stroke, drowning, shooting, etc.
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Mechanism of Death
 Specific change in body that brought about death
 Examples: loss of blood, pulmonary arrest, etc.
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Often single statement
 “Massive trauma to body leading to pulmonary
arrest”
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Lividity – Pooling of blood in the body
 Appears two hours after death
 Permanent after eight hours
 Process is faster in hotter temperatures
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Livor Mortis – “Death Color”
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(Fig. 11-4 from book removed)
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Has the body been moved?
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Rigor mortis – “Death stiffness”
 Starts within 2 hours
 Most rigid at 12 hours
 Gradually disappears after 36 hours
(Fig. 11-5 from book removed)
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Rigor mortis is affected by:
 Temperature (cooler takes longer)
 A person’s weight (fatter takes longer)
 Type of clothing
 Illness
 Level of physical activity shortly before death
(faster after exercise)
 Sun exposure
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Algor mortis – “Death heat”
 Temperature loss
 About 1 degree F or 0.78 degrees C per hour
 Slowed by weight, clothing, or hot environments
 Temperature determined by thermometer in liver
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Forensic
entomology
Insect stages:
 Egg
 Larva (instar)
 Pupa
 Adult
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Factors affecting insect development
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Temperature
Wind
Time of day
Season
Exposure to elements
Estimation of time of death obtained by raising
insects from scene in same conditions at lab.
Process is known as Accumulated Degree Hours
(ADH)