Determination of the Time of Death by Continuous Post-Mortem Temperature Measurements
Determination of the Time of Death by Continuous Post-Mortem Temperature Measurements
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通过连续尸检温度测量确定死亡时间
DOI：
10.1177/002580247701700209
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发表时间：
1977
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Niels Jeppesen
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
J. Simonsen;J. Voigt;Niels Jeppesen
在20例已知死亡时间的病例中，对尸体的大脑、小腿、肝脏、腋窝和直肠的温度下降进行了连续的死后测量，此外，还记录了环境温度。观察不是在标准条件下进行的，尸体的衣服尽可能保持原样。在确定死亡时间方面，脑温的测量给出了最大的准确度;对于25 °C以上的温度，不确定性的数量级为±2 1/2小时，在较低的温度下更大。其他测量部位允许不太可靠的估计死后时间，但没有一个被发现是适当的死亡后20小时。有一个因素是无法计算的。这是死亡时的温度。所有的调查都表明，它可能有很大的不同。在本研究中，最高和最低起始温度之间的差异范围在5 °C和8 °C之间，取决于测量的位置。由于在死后的最初几个小时内，无论测量部位如何，温度的下降幅度为每小时1 °C，因此上述变化产生的不准确性远远超过了借助于脑温测量所能达到的更高准确度。出于这个原因，作者认为有理由得出这样的结论，即死亡时间的确定总是存在很大的不确定性，但最可靠的估计是在死亡后的头20小时内，可以根据与评估死亡迹象发展有关的脑温测量。到目前为止，测试的其他方法似乎都没有提供更高的可靠性。
In 20 cases with known times of death continuous post-mortem measurements of the temperature fall in brain, calf, liver, axilla and rectum of the bodies have been made, and, in addition, the environmental temperature has been recorded. The observations were not made under standardized conditions, and the clothing of the bodies was left untouched as far as possible. The measurements of the brain temperatures have given the greatest accuracy in determining the time of death; for temperatures above 25 °C the uncertainty was of the order of magnitude of ±2 1/2 hours, at lower temperatures greater. The other sites of measurement permitted less reliable estimates of the post-mortem time, but none of them were found to be appropriate beyond 20 hours after death. There is one factor which cannot be calculated. It is the temperature at the moment of death. All investigations show that it may vary enormously. In the present study the difference between the maximum and the minimum starting temperature ranges between 5 °C and 8 °C, dependent on the site of measurement. As the fall in temperature—irrespective of the site of measurement—during the first few hours post mortem is of the magnitude of 1 °C per hour, the above variation gives an inaccuracy which by far exceeds what can be achieved of greater accuracy by the aid of brain temperature measurements. For this reason the authors feel justified in concluding that the determination of the time of death will always be encumbered with great uncertainty, but that the most reliable estimate within the first 20 hours after death can be based upon the measurement of the brain temperature associated with an evaluation of the development of the signs of death. None of the other methods tested so far appears to have offered a greater reliability.