Time of Death, Decomposition and Identification: An AtlasA postmortem X-ray of a male homicide victim reveals a bullet lodged next to his spine. That he was shot is clear. How recently? is what death investigators must determine. The answer: the absence of scar tissue surrounding the bullet proves the victim had been recently shot. And while the average person may find tattoos to be creative and aesthetic, to the trained death investigator, they can actually be the key to aiding in the eventual identification of a body. They say the dead can't speak. But in the fascinating field of forensic pathology, the deceased can tell an elaborate story, especially when death investigators know what clues to look for. The first volume in the new Forensic Pathology Atlases: Causes of Death Series, this book takes an in-depth look at the determination of the time of death, postmortem changes, and identification. In TIME OF DEATH, DECOMPOSITION AND IDENTIFICATION, you'll learn through the extensive use of photographs and discussion how estimating the time of death can rarely be accomplished with scientific accuracy. You'll learn about the numerous changes the body undergoes after death, and how positive and probable identifications are made. For death investigators, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and anyone else involved in forensic death cases, TIME OF DEATH, DECOMPOSITION AND IDENTIFICATION is a "must have" resource. |
Contents
Time of Death Postmortem Interval and Decomposition | 1 |
Rigor Mortis | 2 |
Livor Mortis | 4 |
Algor Mortis Body Cooling | 6 |
Gastric Contents | 7 |
Chemical Analyses | 8 |
Scene Investigation | 9 |
Decomposition | 10 |
Positive Identification | 76 |
Dental | 77 |
Radiographs Xrays | 78 |
DNA Fingerprinting | 79 |
Presumptive Identification | 80 |
Skeletal Remains | 81 |
3 | 109 |
Case 2 Time of Death | 110 |
Other editions - View all
Time of Death, Decomposition and Identification: An Atlas Jay Dix,Michael Graham No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
abdomen accelerated adipocere Algor antemortem anthropophagia appear approximately arrow points asphyxia Atlas Jay Dix autolysis autopsy bacteria bloating blood vessels body temperature body undergoes body was discovered body's bone buried carbon monoxide cause of death clothing complete rigor dead death investigation death occurred decedent's decompositional changes Decubitus ulcer dental comparison dentist dependent areas develop died DNA Fingerprinting DNA testing entomologist environmental temperature examination example face facial family members finger fingerprint fixation fluid Forensic Forensic Pathology Gastric Contents green discoloration head hemorrhage hours after death individual inflammatory insects internal organs involving last meal lima beans lividity livor mortis maggots man's method of identification Michael Graham moved Mummification muscle neck nose and mouth pathologist pattern person physical positive I.D. positive identification postmor postmortem interval presumptive identification prior to death radiographs scene seen Skeletal Remains skeleton skin slippage skull soft tissues stomach Tattoos teeth unique visual identification woman X-ray