Estimation of Time Since Death from Post Mortem Lividity : Easy and Simple Method

Dr. Shailendra G. Dhawane; Dr. Shashikant V. Dhoble

Volume : V, Issue : III, March - 2016

Estimation of Time Since Death from Post Mortem Lividity : Easy and Simple Method

Dr. Shailendra G. Dhawane, Dr. Shashikant V. Dhoble

Abstract :

 Background: Post mortem lividity is one of the earliest and reliable sign of death. Investigating officers are very much interested in knowing time since death as it helps them to connect criminal with the crime. The post–mortem lividity is caused by a purely mechanical function i.e. the earth’s gravitation. The present study is carried to know the reliability of post mortem lividity in determining the time since death. Objective: To determine time since death by simple method of studying post mortem lividity. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective study conducted at Indira Gandhi medical College Nagpur from April 1998 to May 1999. Total 201 cases were examined from age group 4 to 84 years. Results: 72.13 % were male while 27.86 % were females most of them belonged to age group 21–50 yr (67.64%); 49.26 % of total cases developed post mortem lividity within 7 hr after death while 50.74 % of cases post mortem lividity developed after 7 hr after death. Conclusion: PM lividity developed within 7 hrs was not fixed & PM lividity developed after 7 hrs was fixed.