1. Pallor of the skin.

2. Cooling of the body.

3. Hypostasis or Lividity "Livor-Mortis
".

4. Rigidity or "Rigor Mortis.

5. Putrefaction.

Cooling
Cooling of
ofthe
thebody
body
It occurs in cold weather.
Heat production & heat
during life and after death.

loss

Measurement of the dead body

temperature.
The average rate of heat loss:

1-1.5 oC/ hour.

Factors affecting rate of cooling:

1. Temperature either environmental

or body temperature .
2. The size of the body.

3. Clothing & coverings.

4. Movement & humidity of the
air.
5. Immersion in water.

Hypostasis
or Lividity "Livor-Mortis "

It

means

discoloration

or

staining of the skin of the most

dependent parts of the body and
internal organs after death.
It is due to..

 The staining is of the same colour

of the blood.

Hypostasis

does

not

develop

over areas of contact flattening

or

compressed

parts

(i.e.

the

pressure mark of the waist band),

because the capillaries and veins
are occluded by the pressure.

 Blanching test for confirmation of

hypostasis

 Post-mortem hypostasis or Livor

mortis. The white areas are due to
pressure upon the ground.

The trunk of a body viewed

from the side.

Normal distribution of P.M. Lividity

in a body which lay on its back after
death.

 Hypostasis affected by simple pressure on

the skin from tight clothing marks of the
cup and strap of a bra seen over the chest.

 Onset:
1.

Occurrence (at the moment

of death).

2.

Appearance (1/2 1 hr.).

3.

Well developed (4 8 hrs.)

4.

Fixation (8-12 hrs).

 M.L.I. of Hypostasis:
1. It is a sure sign of death, it is one
of the best proofs for somatic
death.

2. It helps to estimate the time

passed since death:

Early onset of hypostasis.

Delayed

hypostasis

within 8-12 hour).

(completed

3. It gives information about the

position of the body. Changes of
position

after

death

lead

to

changes in the site of lividity, so

long as the blood is still fluid.

Before fixation.
After fixation.

 Ventral distribution of P.M. lividity with

the deceased lying prone on the bed.

 Persistence of ventral distrbution of

P.M.lividity after the autopsy with the
body in the supine position.

4- It gives an idea about the cause of

death:

a. From

its

extent,

haemorrhage

ill

defined

in

and marked in asphyxia.

b. From its site as it is usually in the back

in natural death, in the lower limbs in
hanging; & in the head & upper parts
of the body in drowning.

c. From its colour:

The lividity is better appreciated

in fair-skinned persons than in
dark ones.

The colour of lividity depends

upon the colour of blood and the
mode of death:

1.

Light violet (a purple or reddish-purple ) in

natural death.
2. Very faint in deaths from haemorrhage or severe
anaemia.
3. Deep blue in asphyxia.
4. Bright pink in deaths due to exposure to severe
cold, in bodies refrigerated very soon after
death.
5. Cherry-red in CO poisoning.
6. Cyanide poisoning results in lividity which is
described by different authors as pink, bright
scarlet, and violet.
7. A pink colour at the sides of bodies exposed to
the air, but not, as rule, at the back or other
areas which are close to the ground.
8. Chocolate brown in cases where methaemoglobin
is formed in the blood during life (e.g. potassium
chlorate, nitrates, and aniline poisoning) .

Normal distribution of P.M. Lividity

in a body which lay on its back after
death.

 Crimson-red
in CO poisoning

Cherry-red
in
cyanide poisoning

 Deep blue in a woman hanged herself.

Apparent marks of clothing which is
seen on the arms and around the waist.

Postmortem lividity Antemortem

bruises
Site

. On the dependent Anywhere

parts.
the
site
trauma

at
of

Colour

Uniform colour and .

Different
according to the colours.
cause of death e.g.
violet in natural
death

Margin

Merges with the Clear

surrounding area.
define.

and

Swelling
Abrasions

Postmortem
lividity

Antemortem
bruises

No swelling.

Swelling of the
affected area.

No abrasions.

May be present.

Cut incision - Small amount - Extra vasated

on the site
of
blood
blood in the
oozing from
surrounding
the severed
tissues.
capillaries.
- The blood can
- The blood
not be washed
can be easily
easily.
washed

Microscopica
l
examination

Postmortem
lividity

Antemortem
bruises

Blood
elements are
found within
the vessels.

There
is
evidence of
infiltration
(blood
elements are
found
outside
the
vessels).

Antemortem bruises.

Patch
lividity.

of

P.M.

Postmortem Rigidity
"Rigor Mortis

It is a state of progressive muscular

rigidity

replacing

the

condition

of

primary flaccidity and affecting all

muscles of the body i.e. voluntary and
involuntary.

Mechanism:

ATP
pH:

 Onset:

It starts to appear 2 hours after death in

the small muscles of the eyelids, lower jaw
and neck, followed by the limbs, involving
first the small distal joints of the hands and
feet and then the larger proximal joints of the
elbows, knees and the shoulders and hips.

It takes 12 hours to be completed all over

the body.

It disappears completely in about 18-24

hours after death.

 M.L.I. of Rigor Mortis:

1. It is a sure sign of death.

2. It helps to estimate the time passed
since death.

3. Preservation of the position of the

body;

as

agonists

&antagonists

undergo rigidity in the same degree

(without shortening of the muscle)

4. Suggestion

of

the

cause

of

death; as it is rapid in onset in

cases of convulsions, as tetanus
and

strychnine

individuals
exhausted

poisoning,

who
or

have

starved

in

been
before

death, the glycogen stores in

muscle are low, so that rigor may
develop rapidly.

Senile person

Muscular activity before death

Rigor Mortis

Rigor Mortis

1- Cadaveric Spasm.
2- Cold Stiffness.
3- Heat Stiffness.

Cadaveric

This

is

characterized
one

group

Spasm

by

of

condition

stiffening

the

of

voluntary

muscles, immediately after death,

without

being

preceded

stage of primary flaccidity.

by

the

 Conditions
necessary
for
the
development of cadaveric spasm
are:
1-

Extreme rapid occurrence of somatic

death.

2- Great emotional stress at the moment of

death.
3- The affected group of muscles must be in
physical activity at the time of death.

 Mechanism:
The exact mechanism is not known.

This condition occurs in cases

of extreme nervous tension such
as:

Some suicidal cases.

Some accidental cases.

Some homicidal cases.

Cadaveric Spasm. This victim grasped

at some ivy as he fell into water.

Cadaveric Spasm

 M.L.I. of Cadaveric Spasm:

1.

It
indicates
sudden
death
associated with great emotional
tension.

2. It indicates the muscles in physical

activity at the time of death.
3. It indicates the nature of death,
whether

suicidal,

accidental.

homicidal

or

The main differences between rigor

mortis and cadaveric spasm are:
Rigor Mortis
Cadaveric Spasm
1. It occurs in all In some cases, and
deaths.
a certain condition
is necessary for its
onset
(severe
nervous tensio).
2. It is preceded by
primary
flaccidity.
3. It starts 2 hours
after death.

Absent
flaccidity.

primary

It occurs at the
moment of death.

Rigor Mortis

Cadaveric Spasm

4. Both voluntary Certain group of

and involuntary voluntary muscles
muscles
are only are affected.
affected.
5. It occurs due to
depletion
of
ATPase enzyme.

The
exact
mechanism is not
yet known.

N.B.: In cadaveric spasm, very great

force is necessary to breakdown the
stiffness of the muscles.

Cold Stiffness:

When the body is rapidly

frozen after death, it retains
the position in which it was
lying
fluids.

due

to

frozen

body

Heat

It

Stiffness :

is found in bodies that have

been subjected to heat (burn)

before death.

Muscular states following death:

The different muscular states
which
the
body
undergoes
between somatic death and the
onset of putrefaction are:

1- Primary flaccidity.
2- Rigor mortis.
3- Secondary flaccidity.

Putrefaction or Decomposition
It is the last stage in the
resolution of the body from the
organic to the inorganic state.
Mechanism:

Bacterial action
Softenin
g of
tissues

Haemolysi
s of blood

Gas
formatio
n

 Onset of putrefaction:
It starts after one day in
summer
winter.

&

two

days

in

 M.L.I. of Putrefaction:
1. It helps to suspect the cause of
death:
- Rapidly in
- Delayed in
2. Estimation of the time passed
since death as follows:
In winter

1- Two days after death:

Greenish discoloration of the
right

iliac

region

with

arborisation of the vessels or

marbling of the skin.

2- One week after death:

Greenish

discoloration

of

the

whole skin with bullies.

Distension of the abdomen

The
with

face is swollen, discoloured

thick

dark

mouth and nostrils

froth

on

the

3- Two weeks after death:

Peeling of the skin.
Rupture of the abdomen.
The

viscera

are

liquefied

and

precipitated to the ground.

Eggs of flies will now become larvae.

4- Six months after death:

All tissues are transformed into
liquid substance which percolates to
the ground; so leaving nothing except
bones attached by ligaments.
5- After 1 year:
Ligaments also disappear leaving
separate bones.

Putrefactive gases:

Early
decomposition
Distended
veins over forehead &shoulder.

 Bloating and discoloration of the skin due

to the generation of gases in decomposition.

 Protrusion
of
tongue
distortion of features.

and

 Putrefaction after 1 week .

 Peeling of the skin of the hand.

Peeling of the skin of the feet

 Moderately
advanced
decomposition distortion, swelling
of the features, swelling of the eye
balls & shedding of the skin.

 Moderately
severe
decomposition
Blackening &extensive shedding of the
skin of the rt. Side of chest & abdomen.

 Six months after death.

In summer

It takes half the previously

mentioned times.

Conditions Replacing Putrefaction

1. Adipocere formation.
2. Mummification.
3. Maceration.

Adipocere Formation (Saponification)

It is a modification of the
process of putrefaction.

 Mechanism:
Body fat

warm

moist,

anaerobic

to
endogenous bacteria

Hydrolysis & Hydrogenation

Fatty Acids
Inhibit putrefactive bacteria

lead

 Characters:.........
1. The transformation

of fatty
tissues into a yellowish-white,
greasy, (but friable when dry),
wax-like substance.

2. Production

a
penetrating
ammoniacal odour is emitted
during the early stages and the
smell is very persistent. Then, a
sweetish rancid odour. when its
formation is complete.

3. It floats on water, and dissolves

in hot alcohol and ether.

4. When heated it melts and then

burns with a yellow flame.

5. Ordinarily

it

will

unchanged for years.

remain

 Time:
> 3 weeks 6 months for
extensive adipocere.

 Adipocere Formation in buried infant. The

body fat has been converted into brittle
waxy material, which form a shell around
the skeleton.

Mummification

It is a modification of the
process of putrefaction.

Characters:

1. Dehydration or desiccation of the

tissues.

2. The body shrivels & is converted into a

leathery or parchment-like mass of skin
& tendons surrounding the bone.

3.

The internal organs are often

decomposed but may be preserved.

4.

Skin shrinkage may produce large

artifactual splits mimicking injuries.
These are particularly seen in the groins,
around the neck & the armpits

 Mechanism:
It is a slow drying of the body
fluid by evaporation, especially
when there are air currents e.g.,
death in desert.

Advanced mummification in a discarded

new-born infant. The back was arched .

 Artificial Mummification in Ancient

Egypt.

 Artificial Mummification in Ancient

Egypt.

 Artificial Mummification in Ancient

Egypt.

Maceration

It
replacing

is

temporary

putrefaction

state

due

to

absence of organisms.

Mechanism:
Aseptic autolysis

Time
development:

One week

for

 Characters:
1. The body is soft & extremely flaccid.
2. Flattened head & over-riding with
undue mobility of the skull.
3. The limbs may be readily separated
from the body.
4. Large moist skin bullae which
rupture to disclose a
lacerated
dark reddish-brown
skin with
greasy sensation.
5. Rancid smell.
6. No gas formation.

N.B:
The condition can be diagnosed
by an X-ray film to the pregnant
female when in doubt about the
occurrence of intra-uterine foetal
death.

Maceration
of
the feotus

 Macerate
d forearm
of a still
born
foetus.

Time Passed
Since Death
Postmortem-Interval

(PMI)

Time Passed Since Death

Postmortem-Interval (PMI)
1-

Rate of cooling of the dead body.

2- Conductivity of tissues to electric

current.
3-

Extent of postmortem lividity.

4-

Distribution of rigor mortis.

5- Extent of putrefaction or other

replacing conditions.

6-

Entomology of the dead body

(Fauna of Cadaver):
Green Metallic
Domestica

Musca

7. From some histological & biochemical

changes, in the liver cells, C.S.F. &
blood due to enzymatic action.

8. From

the

state

of

the

gastric

contents, as the emptying time are 3

hours. This necessitates knowing the
time of the last meal before death.

 larvae

Animal cadaver