2.  investigates the mechanisms and forensic aspects of death,
such as bodily changes that accompany death and the post-
mortem period, as well as wider social aspects related to
death;
 it is the complete & irreversible cession of vital functions
of brain, heart &lungs.
 A person is presumed to be dead, if he cannot survive
spontaneously, when the artificial means are withdrawn.
Death occurs in 2 stages,
 somatic,(systemic or clinical death)
 Cellular,( molecular ,death of organs)
 Commonly death is somatic
 Cellular or molecular death:
 after s.d. Tissues& cells continue to survive for varying
period, when these individual cells, tissues die it is called
c.d.
 It is accompnied by cooling, changes in eye, skin
&muscles.

3.  S.d.or clinical death is difficult to determine just
after death,
 when the body is
 1- worm,
 2- suspended animation
 3-coma &hypothermia
 Confirmation of death is imp for
 1-disposal of body
 2-viability of transplantable organs like
 liver in 15 m ,
 kidney in 45m, &
 heart in an hour.
 Nervous system; few min
 Muscular tissue; 6 hrs
 Cornea; 6 hrs
 Skin; 12 hrs

4.  Life depends upon the integration of three vital
systems ,respiration, circulation & innervation called
tripod of life. the persistence stoppage of any vital
system eventually leads to irreversible loss of
function of others, precipitates death.
 Mode; stoppage or failure of the vital system;
 asphyxia, syncope &coma.(brain death)
 Cause;
 Disease ,physical injury ,or intoxication, which finally
prove fatal
 Mechanism;
 train of changes, in the body physiology ,or
biochemistry, which is incompatible e life,like a
systole, v.f. hem. shock. severe acidosis, or
alkalosis ,sepsis, or toxemia

5.  Manner; way , fashion or circumstances of
death
 Natural, due to disease
 Un natural; when due to causes other than
disease as trauma &intoxication
 Accidental
 Homicidal
 suicide

6.  1- coma: a coma ( koma, meaning deep sleep) is a state of
unconsciousness lasting more than a while ,in which a
person: cannot be awakened; fails to respond normally to
painful stimuli, light, or sound
 A person in a state of coma is described as being comatose
from failure of function of brain
 as in compression of brain from disease ,
 injury ,
 poisons as opium , alcohol, uremia.
 Pm findings are;
 inflammation of meninges
 ,compression from hmrj, tumor, f.body or vascular lesion.

7.  Syncope (pron.: ˈ sɪŋkəpi / SING-kə-pee),
 the medical term for fainting, is precisely defined as a
transient loss of consciousness and postural tone,
 characterized by rapid onset, short duration, and
spontaneous recovery, due to global cerebral
hypoperfusion (low blood flow to the brain ) that most
often results from hypotension (low blood pressure).
 This definition of syncope differs from others by including
the cause of unconsciousness, i.e. transient global cerebral
hypoperfusion.
 cerebral ischemia, is a condition in which there is insufficient blood flow to the
brain
 There are two types of ischemia: focal ischemia, which is confined to a specific
region of the brain; and
 global ischemia, which encompasses wide areas of brain tissue.
 and syncope needs to be distinguished from coma which
can include persistent states of loss of consciousness.fail
 hmrj, blood disease . due to heart disease ,
 or reflux cardiac arrest ,or inhibition of the hrt due to
vagal stimulation(neurogenic shock),
 due to sudden fright or emotion ,
 injury to receptor areas (carotid sinus,testicles).

8. What is a vasovagal syncope?
It is also called vagal shock. This discomfort is due to
stimulation of the vagus nerve, a cranial nerve responsible for
regulating digestion, the functioning of the pharynx or slow
heartbeat.
Syncope is caused by a kind of equilibrium between two nervous
systems, the vagal parasympathetic system, which belongs to
the vagus nerve and the sympathetic system, which
accelerates the pace of the heart. Meanwhile, the blood
pressure drops where the discomfort and the strange
sensation of dizziness because blood flow decrease in the
brain.
 Emotional shock, a suffocating heat, fasting, claustrophobia,
phobias bites,
 Symptoms, meanwhile, are easily detectable, dry mouth, a
pale complexion, ringing in the ears, yawning, headaches and
stomachaches, dizziness, cold sweats, nausea.

9.  Vagal shock is an imp cause of death
 in accidental hanging
 , throttling ,
 blow on epigastrim ,
 abortion, immersion in cold water ,
 chloroform anesthesia
 Asphxia: death from failure of function of lungs
 is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen
to the body that arises from being unable to breathe
normally. Asphyxia can cause coma or death.
 : as in pneumonia,
 paralysis of respiratory centre,(opium poisoning)
 ,occlusion of air passages
 , gas inhalation ,
 traumatic as RTA crushing injury
 Pm findings :
 cyanosis ,pronounced lividity , petechial
hemmrorrages

10.  Immediate :
 1-insensebility &loss of EEG rhythm for a
continuous period of 5-minutes
 Cessation of circulation:
 heart sounds not heard for a cont period of 5-
min, a flat ECG for 5 m
 Cessation of respiration for 5 minutes
Suspended animation:
condition in which vital funct of body are so
depressed that can’t be detected by routine
clinical exam,as the person is not realy dead ,
may persist from few sec to several minutes
after that person can revive,
 as in cerebral concussion ; the most common
type of traumatic brain injury

11.  ,drowning,
 electrocution,
 heat stroke &
 masmaric trance(seharzadgi, stupor, state of
uncons due to magic) Trance denotes a variety
of processes, ecstasy, techniques, and states of
mind, awareness and consciousness. Trance
states may occur involuntarily and unbidden.
 The term trance may be associated with
hypnosis, meditation, magic, flow, and prayer.
 ( narcosis,nashawar cheez k ghalaba se behoshi)
 deep shock.

13.  A. a- immediate (somatic death)
 1-insensibiltiy & loss of voluntary power
 2-cessation of respiration
 3-cessation of circulation
 B –early changes( cellular death)
 4-pallor or loss of elasticity of skin
 5- changes in the eye
 6- primary flaccidity of muscles
 7- cooling of the body(algor mortis)
 8- postmortem lividity
 9-rigor mortis
 C ;late ( decomposition & decay)
 10- putrefaction
 11- adipocere formation
 12- mumification

14.  1-cooling of the body(Algor Mortis)
 (a ch.thermom 25 cm long-0-50*,placed for 2-3 m,in
rectem,vagina
 Pm caloricity;
 certain conditions heat is retained in 1st 2 hours,after
death it is called pm caloricity.
 (sunstroke, pontine hrje, tetanus & strychnine poisoning,
acute infections)
 The rate of cooling is modified by
 Age & condition of body,
 mode of death,
 environmental temp)

15.  2-Changes in the eye
 (clear glistening appearance of cornea is lost,
 becomes dry, cloudy & opaque,
 corneal reflex &light reflex lost.
 tach naries lines appear
 3-Changes in the skin
 (pm lividity):loses its translucency , become pale.
 4-Changes in muscles(RM)
 Late Signs:
 1-putrefaction
 It is resolution of body from organic to inorganic state , brought by
autolysis & bacterial action.
 2-adipocere formation
 3-mummification Sometime the process of putref becomes arrested at
some stage &fatty tissues of body may become converted into fatty acids
called adipocere formation or the body tissues become dehydrated
called mummification.
 Artificial preservation of body is called embalming.

16.  It is discoloration or staining of skin&organs after
death,due to accumulation of fluid blood in
dependant parts of body.
 It is presented as mottled(spotted,blotch)
patches 1-3 hrs,
 coalesce in 3-6 hrs,
 fully developed&fixed 6-12 hrs.
 Fixation of lividity is due to stagnation of blood
in distended toneless capillaries&small
vessels,not due to coagulation.
 Fixation is detected by blanching the area by
thumb pressure ,if it occur,lividity is not
fixed,time since death is <6 hrs,if does not
blanched,it is fixed time since death is more >6
hrs.

17.  Site &pattern of lividity depends upon the
position of body after death,
 in hanging it is on dependent lower parts of
body,
 in drowning as it floats face downward,it is
over the head,upper parts,
 in moving water drowning it may not
devolop.
 As the discoloration is due to filling of blood
vessels,thus not devoloped over areas of
contact flattening,if aperson is lying on his
back,lividity is on his back parts except areas
of contact flattening

18.  Normally staining is at 1st bluish pink,
 afterward bluish purple.
 Certain poisoning impart a distinct color to lividity:
 such as < co > bright cherry red,
 k cyanide pink,
 k chlorate brown
 ,phosphorus dark brn,
 nitrites red brn,
 H2S bluish green ,
 opium black &greenish brn in septic abortion.
 Ml imp:
 1-reliable sign of death
 .2-position of body is shown.
 3-time since death
 4-its color may suggest cause of death.
 5-its destribution may suggest manner of death,as in
hanging &drowning.

19.  Muscular tissues pass through certain-stages
in 1st 1-2 hrs(somatic or clinical death)
 Primary relaxation,
 as a result of loss of muscle tone lower jaw
drops,
 eye ball loose tension,
 pupils dilate,
 mus become flaccid,
 sphincters relax,resulting in incontinence of
urine &feaces.

20.  It is a condition char-ed by stiffening of muscles after
primary relaxation
 due to chemical changes,involving proteins of muscle fibres,
this is the end of cellular death.
 Normally actin&myosin interdigitate in contraction in
presence of enzyme ATP ,its production utilization is
balanced in life. The overall reaction sequence is:
 ATP synthase + ADP + Pi → ATP Synthase + ATP,which releases
energy for the cells.
 after death ATP is ceased, this leads to fusion of actin&
myosin filaments into a dehydrate stiff gel condition called
RM.
 RM persist until autolysis take place.
 due to putrefaction, secondary relaxation sets in.
 Rm can be broken mechanically

21.  Rm appear in involuntary mus,then vol mus
 ,it is tested by gently bending
 .sequence is face,neck,trunk,upper limb,legs
 In developed rm jaw,neck,extemities are fixed,
 Rigidity passes off in the same order in which it
occure,due to autolysis
 Goose skin is due to erector pilae mus affected
 Rm commences in 1-2 hr,after death
 ,take 12 hr to develop from head to foot,
 persist for 12 hr,
 take 12 hr to pass off.
 Time since death is <2hr if has not set in, 12-24
hr if fully developed.

22.  This is a condition ch-ed by stiffening of mus
immediately after death,e out going in primary
relax,
 this shows somatic death in extreme rapidity,
 person must be in a state of emotional tension
,mus must be in physical activity.
 Ml imp;
 1- it indicates sudden death,
 e great emotional tension ,physical activity,at
the time of death,
 2-it shows nature of death,suicide or homocide
 3-in the event some clothing or hair belonging to
assailant found in deceased’s hands helps in
identification of murderer.

23.  It is resolution of body from organic to inorganic state ,
 brought by autolysis & bacterial action.
 Char-tic features :
 1-colour changes,
 2-foul smelling gases,
 3-pressure effects of gases,
 4-appearance of maggots
 Greenish discoloration over the ceacum&flanks due to
sulphmet Hb formed by action of h2s of micro org, appear
12-24hr.
 Marbling;
 Veins become visible as blue or purplish lines,due to
pigments from blood decomposed, this cond is called
marbling,
 it comes after 24 hr& prominent in 36-48 hr.
 Gases ;
 side by side,colour change foul nauseating smell develop
due to gases of putref( h2s,NH3,H,CO,methane.)these
form below skin,in hollow viscera,cause false rigidity,exert
pressure of ml imp.

24.  Appearance of maggots;
 flies lay their eggs in putref body in open
wounds,natural orifices by 18-36 hr,
 eggs hatch into maggot or larvae in 24 hr,
 they develop into pupae in 4-5 days,
 in an other 4-5 days pupae develop into adult
flies,this forensic entomology imp in time since
death.
 3-7days teeth loose &fall,
 5-12days colloquative putrefaction begins,that
is liquefy &breakdown occur. cavities burst open
 Body is thus skeletanised in 1-3 months
 Bones begin to decompose in 3-10yrs

25.  1-Sometime the process of putref becomes arrested at
some stage &fatty tissues of body may become
converted into fatty acids called adipocere formation or
 2- the body tissues become dehydrated/dessicated
called mumification.
 3-Artificial preservation of body is called
emballming.(embalming fluid,contain formaldehyde,
arsenic , lead sulfide , k corbonate into femoral artery .
 cold storage also used for preservation.
 4-warmth&clothing,
 5-moisture, air,
 6-maner of burial,
 7- also age& condition of body ,sex,
 8- mode of death
 Time req for adipocere varies from 3-6 weeks

26.  1-;identity,
 2-cause of death ,
 3-time since death,
 4- it indicates place(water or moist grd)
 Mummification;
 time for it varies from3m -1 yr.
 Same ml imp as adpr,
 except it indicates hot dry area.

27.  1-Cooling of body;due to progressive heat
loss body attains envirnm temp in 12-15hrs
 2-Pm lividity;the incidence,extent,degree of
fixation is imp
 .it commences in an hr.
 mottled patches within 1-3hr
 ,patches coalesce in 3-6hr,
 fully developed&fixed in 6-12hr.
 3-Rm ;commences 1-2hr,
 takes 12hr to develop,from head to foot
 ,persist for 12hr,take 12hr to pass off.

28. Decomposition changes
 ;12-24hr-greenish discoloration of abdomen,
spreads in 24hr
 ,Marbling comes after 24hr
 ,prominent 36-48hr,same time putref odour is present.
 12-18hr gases collect in intestines&distend the abdoonen.
 48-78hr rectum,uterus protrude,
 18-36hr flies lay their eggs,
 it hatch into larva in24hr,
 4-5 days maggot develop into pupae,
 in an other 4-5days pupae into flies
 .3-7days teeth &sutures of skull become loose
 .5-12days soft tissues lequefy&breakdown.
 1-3m body is skeletanised.
 adipocere 5-15days,;mumification 1-3m.

29.  Growth of hair on face
 ,lice in hair,state of dress,&personal effects.
 Presumption of death;
 a legal presump is that,he is still alive,unless
it is proved that the person has not been
heard for 7 yrs by those who are in normal
contact e him if he had been alive,in which
case the law presumes that he is dead.

30. Every one is sane(wise,sensible,rational) &
responsible for his action