Pathology

Who can issue death certificates?

A death certificate is executed for every death, and a coroner or medical examiner must be signed

Who performs autopsies? Coroner/medical examiner vs. forensic pathologist

Forensic pathologists are usually employed to perform autopsies to determine cause and manner of death.

Autopsy-, describe procedure

A Y-shaped cut is done on the torso. The brain is also removed as well. the organs are removed and weighed. The intestines are kept alone to examine the cause of death. The organs are then put back and the body is sewed up again.

PMI-» know how to calculate based on events (Mortises, insects, fresh, bloat stage, etc)

. Fresh Stage (Days 1-2)

• B. Bloated Stage (Day 2-6)

• C. Decay Stage (Days 5-11)

• D. Post-decay Stage (Days 10-25)

• E. Dry Stage (Days 25+)

Read/interpret charts to determine PMI (stage of decomposition, insect activity etc)

Differentiate between rigor mortis vs. livor mortis vs. algor mortis

Rigor Mortis – The rigidity of skeletal muscles after death

Livor Mortis - settling of blood, resulting in red/ purple colour pattern (“colour of death”)

Algor Mortis= cooling rate of the body after death (“Chill of Death”)

Chemical vs. mechanical vs. thermal vs. electrical trauma

Thermal – deaths due to burns of extreme cold, hyperthermia, hypothermia

Electrical – depending on the type and magnitude of the electrical current that the victim is exposed to

Chemical: the fate of drugs and alcohol in the body are more often contributory factors than they are the cause of death

Mechanical trauma: gunshot and stabbing, motor vehicle accidents

Characteristics of carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide poisoning- a product of incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas and gasoline, causes asphyxiation, red colouration

Order of decomposition (fresh, bloat, etc.)

• Fresh Stage (Days 1-2)

• B. Bloated Stage (Day 2-6)

• C. Decay Stage (Days 5-11)

• D. Post-decay Stage (Days 10-25)

• E. Dry Stage (Days 25+)

• Mainly bones and hair remain. Odor is primarily that of normal soil and litter. Can last several months to years.

Rate of decomposition (ambient temp? Body weight? Submerged in water? Buried?

Factors that affect decomposition (temp, wind, etc)

Manner of death (accident vs. homicide vs. natural)

•Natural death: interruption/failure of body functions from age or disease

•Homicide: death of one person caused by another

•Accident: unplanned events (car accident, falling from a ladder)