ARCL 228 Lecture Notes - Lecture 30: Soft Tissue, Autopsy, Calcination
24 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Arcl 228: cause and manner of death (burning) Heat induced bending of limbs at joints. Smaller muscle groups move toward larger muscle groups. Stage 2: soft tissue modification/ soft tissue impact on burning. Soft tissue is burned away by fire. Attacks flexed joints first (elbows and knees) disintegrates areas where skin is the thinnest. Follows a burning pattern from knee joints to larger muscles areas being burned away and then gradually bone. The black colour is due to the organic components of bone (collagen) being carbonized. The translucent border- more so due to hydration being lost as a result of burning vs. a simple colour change. It is found between the yellow-brown and charred areas of bone. The heat line is a thin, opaque border at the edge of the translucent border before transitioning into the charred bone. Translucent border (due to hydration loss) -- heat line - charred area.
