At the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Criminology an analysis of five parameters for estimation of time since death was performed: supravital reactions (electrical excitability of muscles, chemical excitability of muscles) and early signs of death (cooling of the body, post mortem lividity and rigor mortis) at 120 cases with known time of death. Obtained results have been used for preparation of a special table-algorithm, which contains the limit minimum and maximum values of the post mortem period for each tested parameter. # Introduction he estimate of the time since death, after the first 48 hours (the so called early postmortem period) is determined by routine appliance of conventional methods of corpse examination and detecting the development of postmortem changes. Due to the big variations in time of occurrence and duration of such corpse changes, influenced by many endogenous and exogenous factors, it allows only approximate determination of the time of death in a few hours interval after death. Using several methods for estimation of time since death (the supravital signs and the early signs of death) has significantly increased the preciseness and certainty in estimation of the time of death. Electric excitability and chemical excitability of muscles present highly important supravital reactions in achieving higher level of precision in estimating the time since death. Most appropriate and accessible muscles for testing by electric stimulation are the muscles around the eyes (m.orbicularis oculi) and the muscles around the mouth (m.orbicularis oris). While the flat muscles of the iris in the eye react to chemical stimulation in a longer post-mortem period. (4,6,7) The postmortem cooling of the body (algor mortis) is one of the significant parameters in estimating the time since death. After death the body temperature regulation is stopped, the corpse becomes poikilothermic resulting in drop of body temperature in order to adjust to the environmental temperature. (1,4) Postmortem lividity starts to manifest and develop immediately after cardiac arrest, i.e. stoppage of blood circulation; it can also start developing before death, during a long comatose period due to disrupted circulation. From the moment of death blood remains fluid and is liable to physical laws moving as influenced by gravity; thus the blood in the blood vessels flows passively towards the distal parts of the body (depending on its position). The time of appearing of postmortem lividity and manifestation extent depends on many reasons among which the most important are the cases of a long comatose agony and massive blood loss. (4,5) Rigor mortis is a specific type of muscle contraction which mainly does not decline from physiological contraction, appears within 1-3 hours after the moment of death. All body muscles contract and stay rigid, without activity potential. This contraction is caused by loosing of the total ATP which is necessary for separation of cross bridges from the actin filaments in the process of relaxation. Muscle stays in rigor until muscle proteins disintegrate which usually occurs by autolysis with enzymes released from lysosomes, 15 to 24 hours after death, depending on external temperature. (4,5) Purpose of this paper is to find a way for faster and more simple determination of the time since death by using several parameters. reaction of any degree -post mortem period shorter than 8 hours. uncertain reaction -post mortem period 8-15 hours no reaction at all -post mortem period of 16 and more hours. reaction of any degree -post mortem period up to 6 hours uncertain reaction -post mortem period 6 to 13 hours no reaction at all -post mortem period of 14 and more hours. The results obtained by analysis of the early signs of death and supravital reactions are marked and they point out to a post mortem period longer than 16-18 hours. With the Henssge Nomogram the probable post mortem period is 20±2,8 hours. Possible time of death is the previous day at 17,30±2,8 hours. Additional data have been obtained by investigation and enquiry of the witnesses, that the murdered person has been at work by 17,00 hours (video surveillance camera). V. # Conclusion The algorithm we prepared also contains the limit values, minimum and maximum values for the post mortem period for each of the tested parameters, allowing an easy and quick estimation of the possible post mortem period. Supravital reactions and the early signs of death are important parameters in estimating the time since death in the early post mortem period, especially during the first 24 hours after death, but only in case they have been analyzed together as a whole and provided that the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors has been taken into consideration. 13![Fig. 1 : Testing of m.orbicularis oculi](image-2.png "Fig. 1 :Fig. 3 :") 45678![Fig. 4 : Digital Thermometer](image-3.png "Fig. 4 :Fig. 5 :Fig. 6 :Fig. 7 :Fig. 8 :") 9![Fig. 9 : Examination of rigor mortis of the elbow](image-4.png "Fig. 9 :") 2![upper lid med. upper lid whole upper & lower lid mimic muscle Estimation of Time Since Death by using Algorithm in Early Postmortem Period © 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US) Reaction upon electrical excitation of the mouth musculature per hours PM Electrical excitation of the m.orbicularis oris:](image-5.png "Chart 2 :") 34![Reaction upon chemical excitation with mydriatic per hours PM Chemical excitation with mydriatic Adrenalin HCl: -certain positive reaction -post mortem period up to 12 hours uncertain reaction -post mortem period of 12 to 25 hours Reaction upon chemical excitation with miotic per hours PM Chemical excitation with miotic Carbachol: -certain positive reaction -post mortem period of 2 to 11 hours uncertain reaction -post mortem period of 12 to 25 hours c) Algor Mortis Chart 5 : Discrepancy of probable time of death obtained by the Henssge Nomogram from the actual time of death in hours discrepancy within limits from -2 to +2,5 hours.](image-6.png "b) Chemical Excitability Chart 3 :Chart 4 :") 8![d) Post mortem lividity -livores mortis Chart 6 : Intensity of the lividity per hours PM start of post mortem lividity -post mortem period of 2-5 hours well shown post mortem lividity -post mortem period up to 24-25 hours Chart 7 : Shifting ability of PM lividity per hours PM full shifting -up to 10 hours; partial shifting -from 6 to 17 hours; -fixing -from at least 10 hours after death onwards at all cases with post mortem period of 18 hours and more, PM lividity is fixed. Intensity of rigor mortis per hours PM start of rigor mortis -post mortem period of 2 to 7 hours maximal rigor for post mortem period of 8 hours and onwards. f) Estimation of time since death by using Algorithm An example of estimation of time since death with Algorithm poorly shown -post mortem period up to 5 hours ? well shown, shifting complete -post mortem period up to 10 hours ? well shown, shifting partial -post mortem period 6-17 hours ? well shown, fixed -post mortem period over 10-18 hours Rigor mortis: ? start: post mortem period 2-7 hours ? maximum intensity: post mortem period over 4-8 hours Electrical excitability of m.orbicularis oculi: ? positive reaction I degree -post mortem period 2-3 hours ? positive reaction II degree -post mortem period 2-5 hours ? positive reaction III degree -post mortem period 4-7 hours ? positive reaction IV degree -post mortem period do 15 hours ? negative reaction -post mortem period over 8-16 hours Electrical excitability of m. orbicularis oris: ? positive reaction I degree -post mortem period 2-3 hours ? positive reaction II degree -post mortem period 2-5 hours ? positive reaction III degree -post mortem period do 6-14 hours ? negative reaction -post mortem period over 6-14 hours Chemical excitability ? positive reaction with Adrenalin HCl -post mortem period up to 12-25 hours ? positive reaction with Carbahol -post mortem period up to 12-25 hours Rectal T/ o C 28,5°C Ambient T/ o C 23,5°C Clothes jacket, blouse, jeans Base floor Nomogram -Henssge -post mortem period 20 ± 2,8 hours](image-7.png "8 :?") ![](image-8.png "") © 2013 Global Journals Inc. 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