Question

question on the slides for stages of death and decomposition ~ notes

1. what are the 3 processes of death?
2. do these processes of death compete with one another or do they happen simultaneously?
3. what information about death does the glaister equation provide?
4. which process of death uses the glaister equation to determine time of death?
5. you are a medical examiner, your coroner reported that a dead body was found in cass park at 1pm, the bodys core temperature was 20 degrees celcius and the body exhibited algor mortis. estimate the approximate time of death for the detectives on the case.
6. provide the rigor mortis time table.
7. you are a medical examiner, your coroner reported that a dead body was found in cass park at 1pm, the body was cold and completely stiff and the body exhibited algor mortis. estimate the approximate time of death for the detectives on the case.

Explanation:

1. The three processes of death are algor mortis (cooling), rigor mortis (stiffening), and livor mortis (blood pooling).
2. These processes occur simultaneously but progress at different rates.
3. The Glaister Equation estimates the time since death using body temperature cooling.
4. Algor mortis uses the Glaister Equation for time of death determination.
5. Assuming normal body temp (37°C) and 1.5°C/hour cooling: Time since death = (37-20)/1.5 ≈ 11.33 hours. 1pm - 11h20m ≈ 1:40am.
6. Rigor mortis timetable: Starts 1-2h post-death, peaks 12-24h, subsides 24-36h (varies by conditions).
7. Cold body (ambient temp equilibrium) + full rigor: Rigor peaks at ~12-24h, so death was ~12-24h before 1pm (1pm previous day to 1am same day).

Answer:

1. Algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis
2. They happen simultaneously
3. Estimates time since death via body temperature
4. Algor mortis
5. Approximately 1:40 am
6. Starts: 1-2h post-death; Peaks: 12-24h; Subsides: 24-36h
7. Approximately 1pm the previous day to 1am the same day