title: An autopsy case of complete adipocere formation.
abstract: A car containing a male corpse with complete adipocere formation was found at the bottom of a lake. The deceased had presumably driven into the lake 7 years earlier. The surface of the deceased was unusually hard and firm like a gypsum board, and the entire internal viscera had turned into adipocere. Since the time required for adipocerous changes depends largely on environmental conditions, we considered the key conditions, namely, water temperature, pH, and oxygen content. In our case, cold, acidic water may have delayed adipocere formation, thus necessitating a long period of time for completeness. On the other hand, anoxic conditions and the peculiar environment of a lake bottom presumably contributed to complete adipocere formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijocho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. Electronic address: skasuda@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijocho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. Electronic address: rkudo-kobe@umin.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Risa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijocho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. Electronic address: yuui@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yuui
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijocho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. Electronic address: katze-cat@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijocho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. Electronic address: dc112064@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijocho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan. Electronic address: legalm@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatake
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy; D004777:Environment; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Adipocere; Oxygen content; Water quality; Water temperature; pH