Autopsy Vocab

Autopsy

Medical Examiner or Forensic Pathologist

Rigor Mortis

Livor Mortis

Coroner

Algor Mortis

Decomposition

Occurs 3-12 hours after death. This occurs from heart stopping and blood pooling in the lower spots of the dead body. Purplish color results in those areas.

When flies, maggots, and bacteria inhabit the dead body. Studying the life cycle of these gives a time of death.

This occurs between 2-6 hours after death. The body stiffens...this is used to determine time of death

Person with a medical degree who performs the autopsy

Elected official who decides if an autopsy is needed by a specialist

Used to determine time of death and cause of death.

Dead body cools at an average of 1.5 degrees per hour. Used to determine time of death