CHANGES IN THE BODY FOLLOWING DEATH CHANGES IN THE MUSCLE: Complete relaxation of the whole muscular system The

Entire Muscular Tissue Passes Three Stages After Death: 1. Stage of Primary Flaccidity (post-mortem muscular irritability) Muscle relax, may contract, dilated pupil. Sphincters are relaxed Presence of molecular life Warm place: 1 hour and 51 minutes Chemical reaction of muscle is alkaline 2. Stage of Post-Mortem Rigidity (Cadaveric Rigidity, or Death struggle of muscles or Rigor Mortis) Whole body is rigid due to contraction of the muscles Starts at the muscle of the neck, lower jaw and spreads downward Reaction is acidic due to the increase of lactic acid Medico-legal view point: post-mortem rigidity may utilized to approximate the length of time the body has been dead Develops 3 to 6 hours after death in temperate countries but earlier in warmer countries Last from 2 to 3 days in temperate countries; tropical countries: cold weather 24 to 48 hours; summer 18 to 36 hours Factors influencing the time of onset of Rigor Mortis: Internal Factors a. State of the muscles = healthy appears late and duration is longer b. Age = early onset aged and new-born = delayed good health and good muscular development c. Integrity of nerves = section of the nerve will delay onset of rigor mortis as shown in paralyzed muscles External Factors a. Temperature = hastened by high temperature =above 75 degrees will produce heat stiffening b. Moisture = commences rapidly but the duration is short in moist air Conditions Simulating Rigor Mortis: Heat Stiffening = above 75 degree Celsius coagulate the muscle proteins resulting to rigidity =commonly observed when the body of a person is placed in boiling fluid or when the body is burned to death Cold Stiffening

= due to the solidification of fat when the body is exposed to freezing temperature Cadaveric Spasm of Instantaneous Rigor = instantaneous rigidity of the muscles which occurs at the moment of death due to extreme nervous tension, exhaustion and injury to the nervous system or injury to the chest = in case of cadaveric spasm, a weapon may be held in the hand before death and can only be removed with difficulty = finding of weapon, hair, pieces of clothing, weeds on the palms of the hands and firmly grasped is a very important medico-legal point in determination whether it is a case of suicide, murder or homicide. Cadaveric Spasm: immediately certain muscle;

Distinctions Between Rigor Mortis and Time of Appearance: 3 to 6 hrs after death after death Muscles Involved: all muscles asymmetrical Occurrence: natural phenomena Medico-legal Significance: approximates time of death of d crime Distinctions Between Contracted Muscle: transparent Elasticity: Litmus Reaction: Contraction: contraction Rigor Mortis and losses translucency; opague losses elasticity acidic absolute flaccidity

may or may not appear determine d nature Muscle Contraction: more or less very elastic neutral or slightly alkaline possess inherent

3. Stage of secondary flaccidity or commencement of putrefaction (Decay of Muscles) Muscles become flaccid Does not respond to stimuli CHANGES IN THE BLOOD: A. Coagulation of the blood = blood may remain fluid inside the blood vessels after death for 6 to 8 hours B. Post-mortem lividity or cadaveric lividity or post-mortem suggillation or postmortem hypostasis or livor mortis = the stoppage of the heart action and the loss of tone of blood vessels cause the blood to be under the influence of gravity = appears 3 to 6 hours after death and the condition increases until the blood coagulates = fully developed 12 hours after death Physical characteristics of post-mortem lividity 1. It occurs in the most extensive areas of the most dependent portions of the body

2. It only involves the superficial layer of the skin 3. It does not appear elevated from the rest of the skin 4. The color is uniform but the color may become greenish at the start of decomposition 5. There is no injury of the skin Kinds of Post mortem (cadaveric) Lividity 1. Hypostatic lividity the blood merely gravitates into the most dependent portions of the body but still inside the blood vessels and still fluid in form 2. Diffusion lividity the blod has coagulated inside the blood vessels or has diffused in the tissues of the body Importance of cadaveric lividity 1. It is one of the signs of death 2. It may determine whether the position of the body has been changed after its appearance in the body 3. The color of the lividity may indicate the cause of death 4. It may determine how long the person has been dead 5. It gives us an idea as to the time of death Points to be considered which may infer the position of the body at the time of death 1. Posture of the body when found 2. Post-mortem hypostasis or lividity 3. Cadaveric spasm