The Shocker's Mix 69

[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 Maggot infestation on putrefying body.

Maggots cause most of the body's decomposition because the maggot will do the majority of the eating. Maggots have powerful proteolytic enzymes that aid the dissolution of tissues and facilitate penetration. The maggots are voracious and energetic, first exploring the natural passages, such as mouth and nostrils, then burrowing into the tissues. They secrete digestive fluids with proteolytic enzymes that help soften the tissues, burrowing beneath the skin, and making tunnels and sinuses that hasten putrefaction by admitting air and access to external micro-organisms. Successive waves of eggs are laid, producing new generations of maggots. Eventually, loss of tissue and drying makes the host cadaver unattractive to egg-laying insects, and the later stages of decomposition become free from maggots.

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Case 2


Fig2.1 Body in a state of mummification.

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 3


Fig3.1 Gunshot wound on the hard palate.

This individual died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the hard palate inside the mouth. Self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the palate result in complex bony and soft tissue trauma to the mid and upper face.

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Case 4


Fig4.1 Postmortem animal activity on a suicide victim.

This individual committed suicide by hanging. Postmortem animal activity can be seen on the ear and chin of the deceased. A broad range of carnivores can be involved in the postmortem destruction of corpses located in open spaces or indoors (e.g. wild animals such as foxes and big cats or domestic animals such as dogs and cats). The wound margins caused by carnivores often appear more regular than those caused by rodents and V-shaped or rhomboid punctured wounds are often seen upon the intact skin in the immediate vicinity to the actual wound margins. Such stab wound-like defects represent canine tooth marks of carnivore origin. An additional criterion for animal depredation by carnivores is the presence of claw-induced linear scratch-type abrasions in the vicinity of the damaged skin areas.

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Case 5


Fig5.1 Note that the eyes are intact whilst the lower part of the body is partially decayed due to influence of faces and urine/bacteria. Upper part of body mummified (dried out).


Fig5.2 Maggot crawling tracks—note the curved shape of tracks indicating that they are not simple tracks caused by oozing decomposition fluids or blood.

An elderly woman was found dead in October 2002 in her third floor apartment in urban Cologne, Germany. The apartment was very clean except of the bath room in which a bath tub had been filled with water and clothing. The minimum interval of around 3 weeks would have been a misconduct of the paid professional care giver who was supposed to check for the women every week. The care giver, however, claimed that she had called the women ca. 2 weeks ago to check on her; the now dead women allegedly rejected any visits. This possibility could not be ruled out since the old woman was known to be healthy, yet mentally unstable and behaving ‘‘difficult’’ against everybody. The prosecution assumed that the care giver tried her best, and therefore, the D.A.’s office closed the case.

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Case 6


Fig6.1 Note the matching pressure marks indicating that the head had been resulting on the neck for a prolonged time interval whilst the woman was still alive yet severely neglected by her son.

In March 2002, the corpse of an old woman found in her apartment in an urban apartment in a Western German town. The apartment was untidy in non-organic terms but no rotten organic matter was seen. In this case, further evidence for neglect of the living person was found in the fact that the skin of the corpse was not fed on by the larvae, and that pressure spots had formed. The son of the woman was accused of misconduct of taking care of his mother. He claimed that he fed his mother the evening before she died, and that she was well at this point. Referring to the pressure spots, his statement was not believed by the judge.

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Case 7


Fig7.1 Decomposed sclera showing hemorrhagic discoloration of the whites of the eyes.

Decomposed sclera showing hemorrhagic discoloration of the whites of the eyes. This is sometimes misinterpreted as true injury. There was no more info about this case. Subconjunctival bleeding, also known as subconjunctival hemorrhage or subconjunctival haemorrhage, is bleeding from a small blood vessel over the whites of the eye. It results in a red spot in the white of the eye, and usually occurs as a result of increased blood pressure. In some cases, subconjunctival hemorrhages can appear without any identifiable cause. It may result from being choked or from a head injury, among other things.

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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 --- Part 37 --- Part 38 --- Part 39 --- Part 40 --- Part 41 --- Part 42 --- Part 43 --- Part 44 --- Part 45 --- Part 46 --- Part 47 --- Part 48 --- Part 49 --- Part 50 --- Part 51 --- Part 52 --- Part 53 --- Part 54 --- Part 55 --- Part 56 --- Part 57 --- Part 58 --- Part 59 --- Part 60 --- Part 61 --- Part 62 --- Part 63 --- Part 64 --- Part 65 --- Part 66 --- Part 67 --- Part 68


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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.

[dystopian]

That poor neglected old lady’s chin being left continuously pressed into her chest with no movement until she was dead (and then some) is just awful. I hope the son got prison time.

[ptreegrdn]

Fascinating and educational as always!

[Pyramid_Head]

How anyone could do that to their own mother is beyond me.

[houseoftechno]

I always look forward to the Shocker Mix.

[Karma]

Fascinating as always. Thank you so much Herman.

[-JasonR-]

I hope that neglectful son received a prison sentence.

Fascinating and informative as usual. Thanks Herman.

[Bastet]

I just had to log in and comment, because someone was Shocking on my door. Case #7 is striking, like straight out of a horror movie and cases #5 and #6 are just heartbreaking. However, your professional explanations always make these cases more palatable and even though you like to Shock us, I appreciate the fact you never rely solely on the shock value when posting.