Learning objectives
Explain the forensic importance of examining death, and the tole of coroner, medical examiner, and pathologist in death investigations.
medical examiners are physicians who investigate suspicious deaths
a fatty or waxy substance produced during the decomposition of dead bodies exposed to moisture
adipocere
an elected official, either a layman or a physician, who certifies deaths and can order additional investigations of suspicious deaths
coroner
the specific physiological, physical, or chemical event that stops life
mechanism of death
Describe how the examination of death in early history compares to our approach today.
early death investigations were based on observation or superstition. today we use science autopsies, DNA and toxicology
the cooling of the body after death
algor mortis
the breakdown of once living matter
decomposition
Medical professionals used to provide evidence on medical and legal issues
medicolegal death investigations
Discuss manner, cause, and mechanism of death, and how "death" itself is defined by experts
manner = how death occured
cause=what injury caused death
mechanism how the body failed
the breakdown of cells as they self-digest
a medical doctor specifically trained to perform autopsies to determine the presence of absence of disease, injury, or posining
forensic pathologist
a physician who performs autopsies, determines the cause and manner of death
medical examiner
Explain the predictable sequence of changes that occur during the process of death incuding algor, rigor, and livor mortis.
algor mortis: body cools.
rigor mortis: muscles stiffen.
livor mortis: blood settles in lower areas
a medical examination to determine the cause of death
autopsy
the pooling of blood in tissues after death due to gravity that results in a red skin color
livor mortis
red spots in the white of the eyes that form due to capillary rupture in blood
petechial hemorrhages
Describe the chemical and physical changes that occur during the stages of decomposition, and how they provide evidence in the examination of death.
decomposition includes autolysis
the injury, condition, or disease responsible for a persons death
cause of death
one of five ways in which a persons death is classified
manner of death
the underlying cause of death that leads to the certification of the death
proximate cause of death