Synchronous use of maggots and diatoms in decomposed bodies.

ABSTRACT

The use of maggots and diatoms conjointly has proved to be an important factor in the medicolegal cases referred with advance decomposition. In practice it is quite much difficult to determine Post Mortem Interval (PMI) and as well as to ascertain ante-mortem drowning factor in the bodies, which are being recovered with advance putrefaction. However the analysis of co-existing evidences associated with corpses viz Maggots and diatoms may reveal to draw fairly sound inferences, relating to PMI and drowning mode of death as well, especially in the decomposed bodies. Otherwise, it would not be possible to solve the cases of this nature. The present paper enumerates the two case studies recently reported in year 2003 emphasizing about the medicolegal application of both the evidences simultaneously in the cases with advance decomposition.