The detection of petechial haemorrhages of the conjunctivae in dependency on the postmortem interval.
Petechial haemorrhages of the conjunctivae are not specific for lethal throttling or strangulation, but they belong to the important indicators for such mechanisms. In experimental models it is shown that petechial bleedings of the conjunctivae disappear with the occurrence of advanced signs of putrefaction or in cases of fresh-water logging. Therefore, it must be emphasized that the lack of petechial haemorrhages in putrefied or fresh-water-logged corpses is of very restricted meaning for the examination, whether throttling or strangulation has taken place or not, and the autopsy should always be performed in these cases with special regard to the neck.
Betz
P
P
Department of Legal Medicine, University of Munich, Germany.
Penning
R
R
Keil
W
W
D001237:Asphyxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011693:Purpura / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors