NCJ Number
182662
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 44 Issue: 5 Dated: September 1999 Pages: 893-896
Editor(s)
R. E. Gaensslen Ph.D.
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Carcasses of euthanized rats were exposed in an environment chamber to multiple variables, including position, enveloping clothing, and soil interment, to determine the effect of individual variables on postmortem rate of body and visceral organ water loss.
Abstract
Body water loss was enhanced by a horizontal position versus a vertical position, probably because of a wider spread in bacteria- and enzyme-laden abdominal fluid secondary to diaphragm digestion, with consequent greater tissue digestion and liquefaction. Clothing also accelerated the desiccation rate. Desiccation was about equally as effective by soil interment as by air exposure, although simulating windy conditions by tripling the air flow rate resulted in much more rapid desiccation in the air-exposed specimen. Findings suggested that the single most important factor influencing postmortem body water loss rate is the environment at the skin surface, which acts to enhance or impair water removal from the skin surface and thus influences the water concentration gradient between the skin and underlying deeper tissues. 11 references, 5 tables, and 1 figure