Algor mortis

Stages of death
Pallor mortis Algor mortis Rigor mortis Livor mortis Decomposition Skeletonization

Algor mortis (Latin: algor—heatness; mortis—of death) is the reduction in body temperature following death. This is generally a steady decline until matching ambient temperature, although external factors can have a significant influence.

A measured rectal temperature can give some indication of the time of death. Although the heat conduction which leads to body cooling follows an exponential decay curve, it can be approximated as a linear process: 2° Celsius during the first hour and 1° Celsius per hour until the body nears ambient temperature.

The Glaister equation estimates the hours elapsed since death as a linear function of the rectal temperature:

(98.4 °F - [rectal temperature in Fahrenheit]) × ​²⁄₃

or equivalently

(36.9 °C - [rectal temperature in Celsius]) × ​⁶⁄₅

As decomposition occurs the internal body temperature tends to rise again.

References

• Saferstein, Richard (2004). Criminalistics An Introduction to Forensic Science (8th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-113706-9. 
• Karen T. Taylor, "Forensic art and illustration", CRC Press, 2000, ISBN 0849381185, p. 308
• Robert G. Mayer, "Embalming: history, theory, and practice", McGraw-Hill Professional, 2005, ISBN 0071439501, p. 106
• Calixto Machado, "Brain death: a reappraisal", Springer, 2007, ISBN 038738975X, pp. 73-74

External links

• Standards Employed to Determine Time of Death

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