Hemorrhage and petechiae
Petechiae are the smallest class of purpura (under 3 mm), caused by hemorrhage of capillary blood vessels at the surface of the skin. They look like tiny red or purple spots that don’t blanche (turn white) when you press down on them, like, say, a sunburn does.
In forensics, petechiae can indicate death due to compression of the thorax or throat, including death due to manual strangulation or hanging. In this case, death was caused by the complete compression of the thorax by a rolling mill, which caused massive hemorrhaging in the face, due to the blood being pushed upwards. There are also petechial hemorrhages throughout the chest and collarbone area.
Iconograms: A Collection of Colored Plates Illustrating Interesting Surgical Conditions. Prof. Bockenheimer, 1913.
Death due to ingestion of concentrated sulfuric acid.
Top Left: Acid burns, resulting from ingestion of the acid. Note the burns to the mouth and the spill pattern on the face and chest. These are significantly different from thermal-type burn patterns and injuries.
Top Right: Note the spill pattern on the anterior chest and abdomen of the decedent from the previous image.
Center: Burns from the acid, on the tongue, hypopharynx, and airway. Burns extended down esophageal tract, though esophagus was considerably less burned than remainder of upper GI tract.
Bottom Left: Acid injury extending through the viscera and onto the pleural surface exposing the ribs of the decedent.
Bottom Right: Coagulation necrosis of the solid organs from the acid ingestion of the decedent.
Sulfuric acid is often not a quick death, and can cause delayed tissue perforation and necrosis up to a week after exposure. Exposure of tissues to strong acids can cause coagulation burns, and destruction of epithelial tissue and submucosa. The acid is not known to have systemic effects, and is only locally active, meaning that any neurological symptoms experienced are a direct result of the pain caused by tissue destruction.
When a patient survives the initial ingestion of sulfuric acid, swelling of the pharynx and continuing destruction of the GI tract are primary concerns. Many cases require surgery to remove or repair perforated areas in intestine and stomach. Metabolic acidosis is also a key concern in treating patients of acid ingestion, as it can lead to ventricular arrhythmias, as well as organ damage.
(Source: hpa.org.uk)
Mummification of cadaver hand
Isolated mummification may be evident in areas of the body with less tissue mass, such as the nose, ears, hands, and feet.
Chop injuries inflicted by boat propeller
Cause of death was hypovolemic shock (shock caused by loss of blood volume) on transport to hospital. Decedent had blood alcohol content of 0.12 and was swimming near and below idling boat during river party. Boat operator did not observe him prior to initiating propeller action. Boat operator had BAC of 0.02 (significantly below legal limit to operate moving vehicle). No charges filed.
Sharp force injury complex of chest
Wound caused by serrated blade of reciprocating saw. Note the irregularly shaped wound complex, and the telling tooth mark abrasions to the left, indicating the instrument involved in injury.
Operator of saw was drunk, lost balance, and fell chest-first onto tool. Don’t drink and use power tools!
Defensive wounds of hand and fingers
When a victim is attacked by someone and attempts to defend themselves, there are often incision wounds (if weapon was sharp) or blunt force trauma and lacerations on the underside of the arms (often used to shield face), the fingers, and the hands.
When examining a decedent with defensive wounds, the medical examiner will generally take clippings or swabbings of the undersides of the fingernails of the victim. The presence of the DNA of a suspect can be crucial in proving the suspect’s presence at the attack.
Top: Fatal wounds caused by mixed-breed fighting dog mauling child
Bottom: Skull of dog which mauled child
Note the mix of sharp trauma, tearing (which appears similar to blunt trauma lacerations - see the tissue bridging), and blunt trauma. In defensive dog attacks, though they can be very damaging, there are rarely more than deep puncture wounds and a moderate amount of tearing. This injury is indicative of a dog attacking to kill. Unfortunately, this child, belonging to one of the members of a dog-fighting ring, was not much bigger than the dogs that the attacker was “trained” to fight.
The teeth of this dog were matched to the less-extensive wounds (where tooth impressions could be seen) and confirmed its identity as the attacker. Chunks of the victim’s flesh were later positively identified in the stomach of the dog.
Shigellosis. Isn’t that a cool word? However this is not a cool infection to have. It is the most communicable of bacterial diarrheas accounting for 77% of reported cases. We are the bacteria’s (usually S. sonnei) natural host. There are 20,000-30,000 cases each year in the US. It causes some major dehydration.
this is definitely not a friendly bug. it’s estimated to kill over 1 million people each year, most of which are children.
This is an extremely un-fun disease to contract! Shigellosis is also known as bacillary dysentery.
Did you know that the word dysentery describes a condition (a set of symptoms) and not a specific disease? Dysentery is any inflammatory disorder of the intestine (generally the colon) that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the stool, along with fever and abdominal pain.
So whether it’s caused by protozoa, virus, bacteria, parasite, or (in rare cases) chemical irritation, if you have:
1. Severe bloody diarrhea
2. Fever, and
3. Abdominal pain (mild or severe)
congratulations, you have dysentery! Most forms of dysentery will pass within two weeks, so long as proper care (rehydration, and if it’s shigellosis, antibiotics) is given.
(via themicrobiologist)
Right-to-die grandmother has ‘do not resuscitate’ TATTOO on her chest (and PTO inked on her back!)
A grandmother who wants doctors to let her die if she falls ill has had ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ tattooed across her chest - and ‘PTO’ on her back.
Joy Tomkins, 81, decided she did not want to be brought back to life in a medical emergency following the slow death of her husband Malcolm.
The mum-of-two, who is not terminally ill, visited a tattoo parlour in January this year and paid £5 to have ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ written across her chest to ensure that doctors respect her ‘right to die’.
Mrs Tomkins has also had ‘PTO’ and an arrow inked onto her back so that paramedics will read the words on her chest if she collapses face first.
The grandmother-of-six, who suffers from arthritis, Reynaud’s disease and diabetes, said yesterday that she does not want to endure a slow, lingering death.
Click the photo to read the rest of the article with this most intriguing granny! Via the Daily Mail.
