There is a maggot infestation in the normal areas of the orafices- but also in t

Question

There is a maggot infestation in the normal areas of the orafices- but also in the chest and thigh area. You know this is not normal- after the scene has been processed and the body is taken to the morgue - the pathologist starts the autopsy-you ask for the cause and manner of death- considering the wounds what are some of the possibilities Part 2 The pathologist's technician talks to you about algor, rigor and livor mortis as well as potassium levels, stomach contents in determining time of death- what are each of these and would the measurements actually give you a representation of time of death? Why?

Explanation / Answer

Part 1

Studies reveal that maggots usually infest corpses within an hour to a half-day after the victims' death. They are then followed by beetles and fungi. So, maggot infestation states that this person is dead in this day itself (less than 12 hours).

Maggots always feed on dead and necrotic tissues. Here, maggots have been tracked on thigh and chest area. This means that dead tissue was present in these areas. The question is how dead tissue would come here? May be the person had been given a wound in this place some before death; which led to necrosis.

Part 2

The actual time of death can be analyzed easily by maggot infestation. If only maggots are there, it means that death has occurred within 12 hours. If maggot eggs are also there, then it means that death has occurred a day ago.

Algor mortis is change in body temperature after death. This is an inaccurate means of time of death. This is because rate of change of temperature depends on other factors also.

Rigor mortis is stiffening of joints and muscles after death. This is also inaccurate method to determine exact time of death, because it lasts from one to four days.

Livor mortis is discoloration of skin after death. It starts 20 minutes after death. So, it would not tell about time of death exactly.

If death occurs within first 12 hours, then only potassium levels can tell about time of death. For this, potassium levels are estimated in vitreous humor of eye.

Stomach contents can give a good measurement of time of death. In autopsy, stomach content is removed, and analyzed for time of death. Whatever we eat, is digested within maximum 20 hours. So, if a stomach is full at the time of autopsy, it means that much time has not elapsed since death.

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