Forensics in dermatology: Part I

Decomposition Process and Post Mortem Changes: Review

“…Algor mortis is the process of decreasing of body temperature to ambient temperature (Parsons 2009;Reddy & Lowenstein 2011). A corpse loses heat through four mechanisms, which are radiation, convection, conduction and evaporation of any fluid on corpse (Myburgh 2010;Shkrum & Ramsay 2007).…”

“…It starts from small muscles such as jaw and eye lids, then downwards to neck, trunk and finally to bigger muscle mass on upper limbs and lower limbs (Janaway et al 2009a;Reddy & Lowenstein 2011). This is mainly due to the faster ATP loss in smaller muscle mass compared to larger muscle mass.…”

“…Surrounding temperature plays an important factor in the formation of rigor mortis. Higher temperature environment will lead to faster formation but shorter duration of rigidity and vice versa for lower temperature setting (Myburgh 2010;Reddy & Lowenstein 2011). …”

“…Cadaveric spasm or cataleptic rigidity is instant contraction of muscle at the moment of death and it is often closely related to the scenario of sudden death or associated with ante mortem state of mind of intense emotion (Janaway et al 2009a;Reddy & Lowenstein 2011). This cadaveric spasm seem to exhibit the scenario as if the deceased was frozen at his last action in life, which are related to violent death such as grabbing a weapon or phone or relating to the circumstances of death.…”

“…When blood originated from blood vessels, it appears visible on the skin as the colour pink, bluish to dark purplish due to colour of deoxyhemoglobin (Adams 2009b;Myburgh 2010). This development of livor mortis is different from hemorrhage which is due to blood vessels' puncture and may be differentiated from poisoning which also show changes in skin colour, such as carbon monoxide, cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, methemoglobinemia, propane and in some cases of bacterial infection (Reddy & Lowenstein 2011;Shkrum & Ramsay 2007).…”