An Observation of Cooling of Dead Body for Estimation of Time Since Death in IGIMS, Patna, Bihar

ABSTRACT

Background: Cooling of body after death is also known asAlgor Mortis. Now a days recording of temperature of a deadbodies has its medico-legal importance in connection withdetermination of time since death. It is variable and dependsupon various factor including the atmospheric temperature of aparticular region.Aim & Objective: The main objective of this objective was torecord the fall of temp in dead body as supportive data fordetermination of time since death at Patna (Bihar). Materials &Methods: The present study was conducted on 140 deadbodies brought for post-mortem examination at IGIMS, Patnafrom September 2016 to March 2018 after clearance of ethicalcommittee.Results: Between 3 to 6 hours after death, temperatures wererecorded by 96.6˚F to 95.6˚F in 37.50% of cases and in28.12% cases by 95.6˚F to 94.6˚ F and in 34.37% cases by94.6˚F to 92.6˚F. In the cases examined during 24 hours to 36hours after death rectal temperatures were found to be loweredby 78.6˚F to 74.6˚F in 0.08% cases, and in 91.66% casesbodies were found to be cooled to environmental temperature.Conclusion: The most important responsibility of the doctorsperforming post mortem examination to answer this point asprecisely and accurately as possible. It is manifestly impossibleto say the exact moment of death but a near approximationmay be reached by closely recording of rectal temperatureevery half hourly for three hours