LEC 4 - Forensic Pathology Flashcards
Describe: Cause of death
Injury/diseae that BEGAN the squence of events that led to the death
Describe: Contributory cause
A previously condition that could have contriubuted to the death of the animal
Describe: Mechanism of death
Biochemical/Physiological abnormality the resulted the death
Describe: Manner of death
Non-accidental
Accidental
Natural
Unknown
How long do you have to do a PM before you should freeze the body?
3 days - remember that this will alter some things in the body
Why does the body become flaccid after death?
Loss of stimuli
Why does the body become rigid after death?
Calcium ions leak from extracellular fluid
Continue to move muscle fibers
Disengage tropomyosin + troponin from mysoin
Without ATP cannot detach and muscles remain contracted
Why does the body become flaccid after being rigid once death occurs?
Autolysis of the cells - fibers loosen
What causes faster rigor?
High temp
high excitement
What causes there to be no rigor + slow to rigor?
Moribund
Cachectic
What is the sequence of rigor?
Jaws
Eyelids, tail, digits
Distal limb to proximal
How long is the rigor onset?
2 to 4 hours
When does corneal clouding occur?
25 hours post-mortem
What will cause corneal clouding to disappear?
Warming
How long does it take for the body temp to become the same as the ambient temperature?
24 to 48 hours
