Death Stuff

Question 1

Five stages of death

Answer 1

1st- pallor mortis
2nd- algor mortis
3rd- rigor mortis
4th- liver mortis
5th- decomposition

Question 2

Pallor mortis

Answer 2

• paleness
• almost immediately up to 25 mins
• useful if body is discovered soon after death

Question 3

Algor mortis

Answer 3

• body cooling
• body cools 1/2 degree per hour in normal conditions (70-75)
• most accurate first 10 hours after death

Question 4

Rigor mortis

Answer 4

• Immediately following death muscles become flaccid
• Within 1-4 hours muscles become increasingly stiff
• all muscles stiffen at same time
• body remains stiff for 24-48 hours

Question 5

Liver mortis

Answer 5

• purple or red discoloration after death
• starts early but noticeable 1-2 hours after death and increases in intensity with time
• pattern can tell you if the body has been moved
• purple = normal liver, red = carbon monoxide/cyanide, hypothermia
• tardieu spots

Question 6

Decomposition

Answer 6

• 5th stage

- bloat, marbling, skin slippage, tache noire