Question

question # 4
multiple choice
the pmi for remains of a body newly buried beneath several feet of soil could best be estimated by _.
o studying the blunt - force trauma found on the body
o study of the condition of the remaining skeletal evidence
o blowfly - maggot counts
o chemical and physical analysis of soft tissues

Explanation:

• Studying blunt - force trauma is for determining cause of death, not PMI (Post - Mortem Interval).
• Blowfly - maggot counts are useful when the body is accessible to insects. But a body buried several feet under soil is not easily accessible to blowflies.
• Skeletal evidence is more relevant for older remains (not “newly” buried).
• Chemical and physical analysis of soft tissues (such as decomposition changes in soft tissues which are affected by time) can be used to estimate PMI for a newly buried body.

Answer:

chemical and physical analysis of soft tissues