CHANGES IN THE BODY FOLLOWING DEATH Flashcards
The progressive fall of the body temperature is one of the most prominent signs of death.
ALGOR MORTIS or COOLING OF THE BODY
What is the normal body temperature of a living person?
37°C or 98.3°F
The fall temperature of a certain sign of death?
15 to 20°F
It is the complete relaxation of the whole muscular system
CHANGES IN MUSCLE
The Entire Muscular Tissue Passes Three Stages After Death
a. Stage of Primary Flaccidity (post-mortem muscular irritability)
b. Stage of post-mortem rigidity
c. Stage of Secondary Flaccidity or Secondary Relaxation
t is the stage of muscular change upon death characterized the relaxation of muscles and loss of their natural tone, so the jaw or head drops down, the thorax collapses and the limbs becomes flaccid and the splinters relax
Stage of Primary Flaccidity
It is the stiffening of the muscle of the body after death due to chemical changes within the muscle tissue itself
Stage of post-mortem rigidity
Post-mortem rigidly is also known as?
RIGOR MORTIS
Conditions Simulating Rigor Mortis
- Heat Stiffening
- Cold Stiffening
- Cadaveric Spasm or Instantaneous Rigor
A condition characterized by hardening of the muscles due to coagulation of muscle proteins when the dead body is exposed to intense heat as by burning or immersion in a hot liquid
HEAT STIFFENING
The stiffening of the body may be manifested when the body is frozen, but exposure to warm condition will make such stiffening disappear.
COLD STIFFENING
It is the instant stiffening of a certain group of muscles which occurs immediately at the moment of death, although its cause is unknown, it is associated with violent death due to extreme nervous tension and injury to the central nervous system
CADAVERIC SPASM or INSTANTANEOUS RIGOR
appears three to six hours after death
RIGOR MORTIS
It involves all the muscles of the body whether voluntary or involuntary.
RIGOR MORTIS
A natural phenomena which occurs after death.
RIGOR MORTIS
utilized by a medical jurist to approximate the time of death
RIGOR MORTIS
It appears immediately after death.
CADAVERIC SPASM
involves only a certain muscle or
group of muscles and are asymmetrical
CADAVERIC SPASM
may or may not appear on a person
at the time of death
CADAVERIC SPASM
may be useful to determine the
nature of the crime
CADAVERIC SPASM
This stage is onset of putrefaction
Stage of secondary Flaccidity or Secondary Relaxation
It is a purplish discoloration of the body that occurs on those parts of the body which are nearest the floor.
Post-mortem Lividity
Post Mortem Lividity is also known as
Cadaveric Lividity,
Post-mortem Suggillation, Post-mortem Hypostasis or
Livor Mortis
Types of Post Mortem Lividity
- Hypostatic Lividity
- Diffusion Lividity
The blood merely gravitates into the most dependent portions of the body but still inside the blood vessels and still fluid in form. Any change of position of the body leads to the formation of the lividity in another place. This occurs during the early stage of its formation.
HYPOSTATIC LIVIDITY
This appears during the later stage of its formation when the blood has coagulated inside the blood vessels or has diffused into the tissues of the body. Any change of position will not change the location of the lividity
DIFFUSION LIVIDITY
Putrefaction is the breaking down of the complex proteins into simpler components associated with the evolution of foul smelling gasses and accompanied by the change of color of the body.
PUTREFACTION OF THE BODY
Special Modification of Putrefaction
a. Mummification
b. Saponification or Adipocere Formation
The complete dehydration of all body tissue which results in the shivering and preservation of the body.
MUMMIFICATION
Kinds of MUMMIFICATION
- Natural Mummification
- Artificial Mummification
When a person is buried in hot, arid, sandy soil, there will be insufficient moisture for the growth
and multiplication of putrefactive bacteria. The body will become dehydrated and mummified which is caused by the forces of nature.
NATURAL MUMMIFICATION
Acceleration of the evaporation of the tissue fluid of the body before the actual onset of decomposition.
Addition of some body preservatives to inhibit decomposition and to allow evaporation of fluid. This is made by treatment of the body with arsenic, formalin, resinous or tarry materials
ARTIFICIAL MUMMIFICATION
This is a condition wherein the fatty tissues of the body are transformed to soft brownish-white substance known as adipocere. The layer of subcutaneous tissue is the frequent site of its formation.
Saponification or Adipocere Formation
It is a soapy or waxy material, rancid in smell, dissolves in alcohol and ether when burned produces yellow flame
ADIPOCERE
3 terms in changes in our body after death
ALGOR MORTIS
RIGOR MORTIS
LIVOR MORTIS
