Death Investigation Flashcards
main difference between coroner and medical examiner
medical examiner has a license
Investigation of death purpose
to determine its cause and manner, a pathologist must be prepared to present physical evidence to support his/her conclusions about the cause and manner of death
who “owns” the crime scene
the coroner
cause of death
the disease or injury that initiated the lethal chain of events
mechanism of death
a biochemical or physiologic abnormality produced by the cause of death that is incompatible with life
NASH
Natural
Accidental
Suicidal
Homicidal
Rigor mortis
stiffening of the muscles
Livor mortis
discoloration of the body
Algor mortis
cooling of the body
If you “break” by exercising a joint such as the elbow and 5 to 10 minutes later the joint has stiffened again
the body is going in to rigor mortis
If you “break” rigor by exercising a joint such as the elbow and 5 to 10 minutes later the joint is still loose
the body is coming out of rigor mortis
If you press your finger on the skin of a subject that is in “livor” a the area blanches, then returns to a plum color
the subject is going into livor mortis
Most common drug
alcohol
anthropologist
skeletons
entomologist
uses insects
