injury to the body & postmortem changes

Question 1

what are 2 classifications of injury?

Answer 1

• blunt force injury
  -sharp force injury

Question 2

name 3 categories of blunt force injury

Answer 2

abrasion (e.g falling on knee -skin lost)

laceration( e.g. paper cut)

bruises

Question 3

what is an abrasion?

Answer 3

injury to the epidermis

Question 4

what is a bruise

Answer 4

crushing of blood vessels

Question 5

what are 2 distinct characteristics of a laceration

Answer 5

ragged edges
tissue bridges

Question 6

what is the main difference between a stab wound and laceration?

Answer 6

laceration has ragged edges whilst stab wound has well defined edges

Question 7

what is an incised wound?

Answer 7

a cut that is longer than it is deep (slashing motion)

Question 8

what is a stab wound

Answer 8

a cut that is deep than it is long

Question 9

state 2 categories of sharp wound injury

Answer 9

incised and stab wound

Question 10

what are 3 early postmortem changes ?

Answer 10

algor mortis

livor mortis

rigor mortis

Question 11

what is algor mortis ?

Answer 11

cooling of the body after death

Question 12

what is livor mortis

Answer 12

discoloration of the body after death

Question 13

what is rigor mortis?

Answer 13

stiffening of muscles after death

Question 14

what is the relationship of rigor mortis & hot or cold temperatures

Answer 14

warm temp; occurs sooner

cold temp; longer to occur

Question 15

what is the difference between autolysis & putrefaction

Answer 15

autolysis is enzymatic breakdown of cells whereas putrefaction is bacterial breakdown of cells