Green+C+R41-53

Ramsland pages 41-53
 * At the morgue the bodies are tagged with a name or case number
 * An autopsy is a postmortem examination of a corpse to determine manner and cause of death for an official report.
 * 25% of deaths are subject to autopsies
 * Autopsy- "to see for oneself"
 * MEs record all circumstances surrounding the death along with info about deceased person. The results of the external examination is recorded on the same form.
 * Before exmaination, the body is photgraphed clothed and unclothed or dirty and clean.
 * The body is X-rayed, weighed, fingerprinted, measured, and any marksrecorded.
 * Trace evidence is collected from body and under fingernails
 * The sugeon makes a Y incision, which is a cut from shoulder to shoulder, meeting at the sternum and then going straight down the abdomen to the groin.
 * The incision exposes the internal organs and provides easy access.
 * 1. A blunt force injury comes from impact of blunt object. MEs determine the direction of impact, the type of object, and how many times did the object hit the victim.
 * 2. Gunshot wounds- coroner looks for burns from gas and powder residue around the wound. ME measures the size of the entry and exit wounds and extracts any bullets left in the body. Photos are taken to determint the distance of the shooter from victim.
 * 3. Knife or incised wounds- coroner makes the distinction between cut and stab or puncture wounds. A cut wound is long but not deep and a stab wound is deep but not long.
 * Asphyxiation results from cutting off oxygen to the brain.
 * The possibility of autoerotic hypoxia or "terminal sex" has to be eliminated. This occurs when people (mostly men) masturbate while cutting off oxygen to the brain.
 * A missing person is someone who has been gone for 24 hours without apparent reason, or children or a mentally deficient person who has been reported by a concerned party.
 * Missing Persons Bureau are concerned about: 1. someone involunarily disappeared 2. they have an unknown body
 * To identify a J. Doe: check missing- person records, fingerprint databases (AFI), CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), International Association for Identification, local newspapers, physician records, Dental Society database, National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Autopsy results of last food ingested (where food was purchased or eaten)