ABSTRACT
Death particularly the death of humans-has commonly been considered a sad or unpleasant occasion due to the affection of the being that has died and the termination of social and familial bond with the deceased.
Thanatology – is a branch of science that deals in death in all its aspects.
Section-46 of IPC, defines death as “The word death” denotes the death of a human being. It does not define it .Death is defined as the irreversible cessation of life, insensibility, inability to move and permanent and complete stoppage of functions of vital organs of the body-known as tripod of life: Brain, Heart and Lungs.
Diagnosis of Death
Stoppage of respiration
Absence of pulse
Absence of heart beat
Fixed dilated pupil
Stages of Death
As per Shapiro, there are two stages
1-Somatic death
2-Molecular death
Somatic Death
It refers to the death of the tissue, system or body and is Clinical death, as a whole. It coincides with the death of the brain stem.
Molecular Death
It is the death of all individual cells within the body .It follows 2-3 hrs after somatic death.
Medico-Legal Aspect of Stages of Death
From legal aspect
1-A person is dead when somatic death has occurred hence a death certificate can be issued for the disposal of the body.
2-The organs for transplantation must be removed from the deceased before the onset of molecular death. (Supravita period)
Liver-within 15 mins
Kidney-within 45 mins
Heart-within 1 hr
Cornea-within 3 hrs
3-Wounds caused during the supravita period are” Perimortem wounds” and should be differentiated from ante mortem wounds.
4-However there is no legal sanction to” Beating Heart Donor” –The cardio-respiratory function maintained by heart lung machine for a fully oxygenated cadaver transplant
Modes of Death Typical PM findings
Coma: Congestion of brain and meninges, injury to head, Disease of the brain.
Syncope: anemia, Excessive hemorrhage, Heart contracted, chambers empty, Viscera pale.
Asphyxia: Cyanosis, edema, engorgement of right side of heart, petechial hemorrhage (Tardieu‟s spot), Viscera congested, increased fluidity of blood.