[hermantheshocker]

Some of the stuff I work on doesn't make the cut so I thought about gathering them up in a single post. So basically it's images I have little or no info about or I've decided that they don't get their own thread, for example, because of low image/content quality, lack of backstory or additional info/knowledge, possibly uninteresting, only one image but not very special. I still do the usual image work including upscaling and color correction as needed, as I prefer to have my content high quality and educational.

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Case 1


Fig1.1 The bloating stage.

Associated with putrefaction is the production of gases. These gases, primarily located in the abdomen, cause the body to become distended or bloat. This bloating can cause the affected areas of the body to expand dramatically. Over time the affected areas may rupture or the gas may subside naturally. Skin slippage, or the shedding of the epidermis from the body caused by the deterioration of the junction between the dermis and epidermis, is also associated with early decomposition processes. Many local environmental factors affect the decomposition process, including temperature, moisture, and soil chemistry, but the processes of autolysis and putrefaction are responsible for the chemical breakdown of tissues.

Putrefaction causes color changes in the body including various shades of green, purple, and brown due to the release of pigments from the breakdown of internal structures. In a process called intravascular hemolysis, bacteria increase throughout the circulatory system, resulting in a significant darkening of the vessels, a process referred to as marbling.

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Case 2


Fig2.1 Skin slippage.

Skin slippage is a part of the decomposition process when the top layers of skin become disconnected from layers below and can, therefore, “slip” off the body. Taking place relatively early in the process, it happens through a process when enzymes are released and cells holding layers of skin together start to rupture forming what looks like blisters, leaving a sticky surface behind. As the epidermis layer of skin separates from the dermis layer, these superficial layers can then start sloughing off or peeling away. Where this happens on the body can vary greatly but it is particularly common for the skin to first detach on the hands and feet where skin can be removed like a sock or glove cast off and no longer needed.

When a dead body is submerged in water while it decomposes, skin slippage takes place in around 24 hours. With water soaking through the top layers of skin, the cells holding the layers together separate far faster, letting in more bacteria into the rest of the body to aid in decomposition. This is one of the reasons a body found in a lake or river can be so unrecognizable so quickly—the water speeds the whole process along.

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Case 3


Fig3.1 The victim.


Fig3.2 Calophysus macropterus with a near-maximum adult size and barbels protruding from the mouth that serve as taste sensors.

A 29-year-old man was fishing when his canoe turned over and his body submerged. The body was recovered 48 h later by riverbank inhabitants. Calophysus macropterus (also known as piracatinga, vulture catfish, or zamurito) were recovered from under his clothes, probably because they are the most common fish species of the cadaverous ichthyofauna in the Madeira River.

Many victims of drowning in the Amazon region, particularly in the river, are not recovered, either because of the vastness of the river or because they are devoured by carnivorous or scavenging fish. Members of the Cetopsidae family are known to riverside populations as carrion-eating fish, and attacks on bodies found submerged in the waters of the Madeira River are attributed to them. They have ravenous eating habits and attack not only carrion but also fish caught on hooks and in waiting nets, differing only in their attack and feeding strategies.

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Case 4


Fig4.1 Mummified body of a woman preserving her facial features, weighing 13 kilos.


Fig4.2 Mummified limbs of the woman.


Fig4.3 Cranial cavity of the mummified body.

Spain. Mummified body of a woman preserving her facial features, weighing 13 kilos. Mummification occurs in hot, dry environments. The body dehydrates and bacterial proliferation may be minimal. The skin becomes dark, dried, and leathery. The process occurs readily in the fingers and toes in dry environments, regardless of the temperature. Most mummified bodies are found in the summer months or in hot, dry climates. Mummification can occur in the winter indoors, especially if the heat is turned up, creating a hot, low-humidity environment. It is possible for an entire body to mummify in only a few days to weeks in the right conditions. Once a body is in this state, it can remain preserved for many years.

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Case 5


Fig5.1 Decomposition with purge fluid.

Decomposition of the gastrointestinal tract results in a dark, foul-smelling liquid called "purge fluid" that is forced out of the nose and mouth due to gas pressure in the intestine. The bloat stage is characterized by a shift in the bacterial population from aerobic to anaerobic bacterial species. The gases under the skin also causes the skin to turn green and black. Cells in tissues break down and release hydrolytic enzymes, and the top layer of skin may become loosened, leading to skin slippage.

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Case 6


Fig6.1 Decomposition after submersion in water.

If a body is placed in water containing a large amount of bacteria, such as that from sewage effluent, decomposition is accelerated. A body in water generally decomposes more slowly because of colder temperatures and lack of oxygen. Because the body has a greater specific gravity than water, it sinks initially. Prolonged submersion in water causes a wrinkling effect around the skin of the hands and feet. The body orients itself in a head-down position that sometimes results in scraping of the forehead when it comes into contact with the rough sea floor. After a period of 3 to 4 days in warmer water and about a week in cold, the body will surface owing to the formation of gas. Sometimes the skin and tissues burst and the body sinks again to the bottom. The process may repeat itself and the body floats to the surface again.

The anaerobic nature of decomposition for wet or submerged remains may result in adipocere formation, a unique and fascinating process that results from incomplete transformation of lipids by bacteria. Insect and animal species feeding on the remains are different for submerged bodies. Postmortem predation may cause external defects that mimic injuries and should be interpreted with care. Forensic pathologists and medicolegal death investigators must be aware of the postmortem changes that may occur with submerged and immersed bodies.

Bodies that are found in the sea will often be decomposed and injured by the action of waves against obstructions or by marine predators, and blood may be washed out of the wounds. These changes may complicate the evaluation of cases. In deep waters such as ocean and sea, many small fish species feed on corpses.

Animal predation is very different in the water environment. In some cases, the body will be floating on the surface and the usual arthropod predators such as blowflies and carrion beetles will have access to exposed tissue. The immersed portion of the body will be subject to different predators. Aquatic insects may alter the appearance and condition of the remains.

Large animals such as turtles, large fish, and large crustaceans will cause tissue damage that in some cases may mimic trauma to the body. Smaller fishes, crabs, shrimp, and invertebrates prey on soft tissue and if given the opportunity can completely deflesh exposed parts of the body. Fish, turtles, and other animals may aggressively feed on remains and in the ocean environment, large carnivores such as sharks will create postmortem artifacts. It is not unusual for small fish and crustaceans to gain access to the interior of the body through skin and soft tissue defects or even normal body orifices.

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Case 7


Fig7.1 Anterior view of the head showing extensive loss of soft tissues of the head and exposure of the teeth and mandible. NB: the frames of glasses are still in situ.


Fig7.2 Right lateral view of the head showing extensive loss of soft tissues of the head and cracking of the skull with brain material.

This male individual was driving when an LPG cylinder(Liquefied petroleum gas), which was in the front passenger side of the vehicle, ignited causing a fire. The case is suspected to be a suicide. The individual was located in the driver’s seat. There was extensive fire damage to much of the body and extensive loss of soft tissues of the head. The teeth and mandible were exposed. The ribs were visible and there were defects in the intercostal muscles, with the internal organs visible through the defects. The right shoulder was dislocated and there were fractures of the distal right radius and ulna. The metacarpals of the left and right hand were exposed and brittle. Postmortem toxicological analysis detected hydrogen cyanide in the blood. Carbon monoxide and volatile compounds were not detected.

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Part 1 --- Part 2 --- Part 3 --- Part 4 --- Part 5 --- Part 6 --- Part 7 --- Part 8 --- Part 9 --- Part 10 --- Part 11 --- Part 12 --- Part 13 --- Part 14 --- Part 15 --- Part 16 --- Part 17 --- Part 18 --- Part 19 --- Part 20 --- Part 21 --- Part 22 --- Part 23 --- Part 24 --- Part 25 --- Part 26 --- Part 27 --- Part 28 --- Part 29 ---Part 30 --- Part 31 --- Part 32 --- Part 33 --- Part 34 --- Part 35 --- Part 36


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This post is for educational purposes only and is nonprofit. Under Section 107 of the US Copyright Act of 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. OP is not a medical expert. No copyright infringement intended. This post does not encourage or glorify violence/harassment. Images might have been upscaled and enhanced. Text might have been shortened and simplified/reorganized for online view.

[xxxnowayxxx]

That spider inside the skull was living like a king look at its web full of lil insects

[Eternally Solo]

Another great set! Thank you

[wolfie]

Thanks for the crispy critter. They look so happy.

[Dodger712]

Great post as always, Herman!!

[marcos_69]

Case 3 first picture is fantastic. All the rest are awesome too.

[ride]

Nothing but the best! And this is the stuff that isn't up to snuff? Herm,

[WonderMomma]

Your posts always remind me of why I hope if I die when I'm by myself, that I'm found quickly.

Good set, Herman.

[stowwers]

#7 looks like Flavor Flav.

[jintsy]

I'm off catfish for a while