Compiled by: Leia Grace Elaine U.

Bayag-o

Chapter III
Medico-Legal Aspects of Death

Definition of Death
 Death is the termination of life.
 It is the complete cessation of all vital functions without possibility of
resuscitation.
 Dying is a continuing process while death is an event that takes place at a
precise time.
 The ascertainment of death is a clinical and not a legal problem.

Categories of Death
The following are the categories of death:
1. Brain Death
 Death occurs when there is irreversible coma, absence of electrical brain
activity and complete cessation of all the vital functions without possibility
of resuscitation.
2. Cardio-Respiratory Death
 Death occurs when there is a continuous and persistent cessation of heart action
and respiration.
3. Others
 Some countries or states provide both brain and cardio-respiratory bases in an
alternative or electric way in the determination of the death.

Kinds of Death
Based on criterion used in its determination, death maybe:
1. Somatic Death or clinical Death
 This is the state of the body in which there is complete, persistent and
continuous cessation of the vital functions of the brain, heart and lungs that
maintain life and health. It occurs the moment the physician or other members
of the family declare a person has expired, and some of the early signs of death
are present. It is hardly possible to determine the exact time of death.
2. Molecular or Cellular death
 About three to six hours, later, there is death of individual cells. This is
known as molecular or cellular death.
 Its exact occurrence cannot definitely ascertain because its time of
appearance is influenced by several factors, i.e., previous state of health,
infection, climatic condition, cellular nutrition, etc.
3. Apparent Death or State of Suspended Animation
 This condition is not really death but merely a transient loss of consciousness or
temporary cessation of the vital functions of the body on account of disease,
external stimulus or other forms of influence.

It is important to determine the condition of suspended animation to prevent premature burial. There
are records of cases wherein a person was pronounced dead; placed in a coffin and later angrily rise
from it and walk unaided.

Signs of Death

1. Cessation of Heart Action and Circulation

 There must be an entire and continuous cessation of the heart action and flow
of blood in the whole vascular system.
 A temporary suspension of the heart action is still compatible with life.
 The length of the time the heart may cease to function and life is still
maintained depends upon the oxygenation of blood at the time of the
suspension.
 As a general rule, if there is no heart action for a period of five
minutes, death is regarded as certain.

Examination of the Heart

 Palpation of the pulse
 Auscultation for heart sounds
 Fluoroscope examination
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 ECG

Examination of Peripheral Circulation

 Magnus Test. (no livid area on bloodless zone.)

 Opening of Small artery. (in a dead man, the blood vessel is white and there is
no jerking escape of the blood but may only ooze towards the nearby skin.)

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 Icard’s Test. (this consists if injection of a solution of fluorescein subcutaneously.

If circulation is still present, the dye will spread all over the body and the whole
skin will have a greenish-yellow discoloration due to fluorescein. In a dead man,
the solution will just remain at the site of the injection.)
 Pressure of fingernails
 Diaphanous Test. (the finger webs appear red but yellow in the dead.)
 Application of heat on skin. (presence of blister in alive person.)
 Palpation of radial pulse.
 Dropping of melted wax.

2. Cessation of Respiration
 Like heart action, cessation of respiration in order to be considered a sign of
death must be continuous and persistent.
 A person can hold his breath for a period of no longer than 3 ½ minutes.

Examination of respiration
 Expose the chest: no movement noted
 Examination with mirror: no moisture formation
 Examination with feather or cotton, put feather/cotton in front of nostrils: no
noted movement
 Examination with a glass of water: no rippling
 Winslow’s Test: place mercury or water on a saucer, and put on the chest,
no movement of the reflections

3. Cooling of the Body (Algor Mortis)

 After death, the metabolic process inside the body ceases. No more heat is
produced, and the body loses slowly its temperature by evaporation or by
conductions to the surrounding atmosphere.

Post-mortem caloricity - it is the rise of temperature after death due to rapid

and early putrefactive changes; observed in the first 2 hours after death.

It may occur in the following diseases:

Cholera Rheumatic fever

Yellow fever Tetanus
Liver abscess Smallpox
Peritonitis Strychnine poisoning
Cerebrospinal fever (Meningitis)

FACTORS AFFECTING RATE OF COOLING OF THE BODY

A. Factors related with the body

Factors Delaying Cooling Factors Accelerating Cooling

Acute Pyrexial Diseases Leanness of the body
Sudden death in good health Extreme age
Obesity Long-standing or lingering illness
Death from asphyxia Chronic pyrexial diseases
associated
Death of the middle age

B. Factors related to the surroundings

Factors Delaying Cooling Factor Accelerating Cooling

Clothing Unclothed body
Want of access of air to the body Conditions allowing access of air
Small Large room permitting the
dissipation of heat
Warm surroundings Cooling more rapid in water than in
air

As a general rule, the body attains the temperature of the surrounding air from 12 to 15 hours
after death in tropical countries.
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4. Insensibility of Body and Loss of Power to Move

 After death the whole body is insensible. No kind of stimulus is capable of
letting the body to have voluntary movement.
5. Changes in the Skin
a. Livid discoloration due to the gravitation of blood.
b. Loss of elasticity of the skin:
 Post-mortem Contact Flattening- body becomes flattened on areas
which are in contact with surface it rests.
 Opacity of the skin.
 Effect of application of heat
6. Changes in and About the Eye
 Loss of Corneal Reflex- the cornea is not capable of making any reaction to
whatever intensity of light stimulus. However, the absence of corneal reflex
may also be found in a living person, based on the following conditions: general
anesthesia, apoplexy, uremia, epilepsy, narcotic poisoning, and local
anesthesia.
 Clouding of the Cornea- the normal clear and transparent nature of the
cornea is lost. The cornea becomes slightly cloudy or opaque after death.
 Flaccidity of the Eyeball- after death, the orbital muscles lose their tone making
the intra-orbital tension rapidly fall. The eyeball sinks the orbital fossa. Intra-
orbital tension is low.
 Opthalmoscopic Findings
a. The optic disc is pale and has appearance of optic atrophy.
b. The retina becomes pale like the optic disc.
c. The remaining portion of the fundus may have a yellow tinge which later
changes to a brown- gray or slate color.
d. The retinal vessels become segmented, no evidence of blood.
e. The retinal vessels and arteries are indistinguishable.
f. Tache Noir de la Sclerotique- after death, a spot may be fund in the sclera.
The spot which may be oval or round or may be triangular with the base
towards the cornea and may appear in the sclera few hours after death. At
the beginning it is yellowish, but later it becomes brown or black.
 Action of Heat on the Skin

Changes in the Body Following Death

Hereunder are the changes of the body after death.

1. Changes in the Muscle

 After death, there is complete relaxation of the whole muscular system.
 The entire muscular system is contractile for three to six hours after death,
and later rigidity sets in.
 Secondary relaxation of the muscles will appear just when decomposition has
set in.

The following are the stages of the entire muscular tissue death:

a. Primary Flaccidity or Post-Mortem Muscular Irritability

 Immediately after death, there incomplete relaxation and softening of all
muscles of the body. The extremities may be flexed, the lower jaw falls, the
eyeball loses its tension, and there may incontinence of urination and
defecation.
 This stage usually lasts about three to six hours after death. In warm places,
the average duration is only one hour and fifty minutes.

b. Post-Mortem Rigidity or Cadaveric Rigidity

 Three to six hours after death the muscles gradually stiffen. It usually starts
at the muscles of the neck and lower jaw and spreads downwards to the
chest, arms, and lower limbs.
 Usually the whole body becomes stiff after twelve hours. All the muscles
are involved- both voluntary and involuntary.
 In the medico-legal point of view, post-mortem rigidity may be utilized to
approximate the length of time the body has been dead.
 In temperature countries it usually appears 3 to 6 hours after death, but in
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warmer countries it may develop earlier. In temperate
 Countries, rigor mortis may last for 2 or 3 days but in tropical countries the
usual duration is 24 to 48 hours during cold weather and eighteen to 36 hours
during summer.

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Conditions Simulating Rigor Mortis

a. Heat Stiffening
 If the dead body is exposed to temperature above 75 degrees, it will
coagulate the muscle proteins and cause the muscles to be rigid.
 The stiffening is more or less permanent and may not be easily affected by
putrefaction.
b. Cold Stiffening
 The stiffening of the body may be manifested when the body is frozen,
but exposure to warm conditions will make such stiffening disappear.
 The cold stiffening is due to solidification of fat when the body is
exposed to freezing temperature.
c. Cadaveric Spasm or Instantaneous Rigor
 This is the instantaneous rigidity of the muscles which occurs at the
moment of death due to extreme nervous tension, exhaustion and injury
to the nervous system or injury to the chest.
 It is principally due to the fact that the last voluntary contraction of muscle
during life does not stop after death but is continuous with the act of
cadaveric rigidity.

Importance of cadaveric spasm

 In case of cadaveric spasm, a weapon may be held in the hand before death and can
be removed with difficulty. For practical purposes it cannot be possible for the
murderer or assailant to imitate the condition.

 The findings of weapon, hair, pieces of clothing, weeds on the palms of the hand and
firmly grasped is a very important medico-legal point in the determination whether it
is case of suicide, murder or homicide. The presence of weeds held by the hands of a
person found in water shows that the victim was alive before disposal.

Difference between Rigor Mortis and Cadaveric Spasm

Criteria Rigor Mortis Cadaveric Spasm

Muscle involved All the muscles of the Only a certain muscle
body or group of
muscles
Time of appearance 3-6 hours after death Immediately after death
Occurrence Natural phenomenon May/may not occur
Medico Legal significance Approximate time of Determine nature of the
death case

c. State of Secondary Flaccidity or Secondary Relaxation

 After the disappearance of rigor mortis, the muscle becomes soft and
flaccid. It does not respond to mechanical or electrical stimulus.

Kinds of Post-Mortem Lividity

1. Hypostasis Lividity
 The blood merely gravitates into the most dependent portions of the body but
still inside the blood vessels and still fluid in form. Any change of the position
of the body leads to the formation of the lividity in another place. This occurs
during the early stage of its formation.
2. Diffusion Lividity
 This appears during the later stage of its formation when the blood has
coagulated inside the blood vessels or has diffused into the tissues of the
body.
 Any change of position will not change the location of the lividity.

DIFFERENCE OF ANTE AND POST MORTEM CLOT

ANTE-MORTEM CLOT POST-MORTEM CLOT

Firm in consistency Soft in consistency
Surface of blood vessel raw after Surface of blood vessel smooth and
the clots are removed healthy after the clots are
removed

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Clots are homogenous/cannot be Clots can be stripped away
stripped away
Clot with uniform color Clot with distinct colored layers

Distinction between Contusion and Post-mortem lividity

Contusion Post-mortem lividity

Below the epidermis because blood In the epidermis or in the cutis
vessels are found below the
layers of the skin

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Cuticle abraded Cuticle unabraded

Appears at the seat of and Always in part dependent at a
surrounding the place where gravity
injury ordains it
Often elevated Incision shows blood is still inside
the blood
vessel
Incision shows blood outside the Uniform color
blood vessel
Multi-colored

3. Autolytic or Autodigestive Changes After Death

 After death, proteolytic, glycolytic and lipolytic ferments of glandular tissues
continue to act which lead to the auto-digestion of organs.
 This action is facilitated by weak acid and higher temperature. It is delayed by
the alkaline reaction of the tissues of the body and low temperature.
4. Putrefaction of the Body
 Putrefaction is the breaking down of the complex protein into simpler
components associated with the evolution of foul smelling gasses and
accompanied by the change of color of the body.

Changes in Putrefaction

1. Changes in the Color of the Tissues

 A few hours after death there is hemolysis of the blood within blood
vessels and as result of which hemoglobin is liberated. The hemoglobin
diffuses through the wall of the blood vessels and stains the surrounding
tissues thereby imparting a red or reddish-brown color.

What is Marbolization?
 The prominence of the superficial veins with the reddish discoloration
during the process of decomposition that develops on both flanks of the
abdomen, root of the neck and shoulder and which makes the area look
like a marbled reticule of branching vein.

2. Evolution of Gases in the Tissues

 One of the products of putrefaction is the evolution of gases. Carbon
Dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen, sulphurated hydrogen, phosphoresced
hydrogen, and methane gases are formed.
 The offensive odor is due to these gases, and also due to a small quantity
of mercaptans.
 The formation of gasses causes the distention of the abdomen and
bloating of the whole body. Gases formed in the subcutaneous tissues and
in the face and neck cause swelling of the whole body.
 Small gas bubbles are found in the solid visceral organs and give rise to the
“foamy” appearance of the organs.

Physical Changes during Putrefaction

 Greenish discoloration over the iliac fossa appearing after one to three days, and
extension of the greenish discoloration over the whole abdomen and other parts of
the body.
 Marked discoloration and swelling of the face with bloody froth coming out of the
nostrils and mouth.
 Swelling and discoloration of the scrotum or the vulva, distention of the
abdomen with gases, and development of the bullae in the face of varying
sizes.
 Bursting of the bullae and denudation of large irregular surfaces due to the
shedding of the epidermis, and escape of blood-stained fluid from the mouth and
nostrils.
 Brownish discoloration of the surface veins giving an arborescent pattern on the
skin, and liquefaction of the eyeballs.
 Increased discoloration of the body generally and progressive increase of abdominal
distention.
 Presence of maggots, shedding of the nails and loosening of hair, and conversion
of the tissue into semi- fluid mass.
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 Facial feature unrecognizable, bursting of the abdomen and thoracic cavities, and
progressive dissolution of the body.

CHRONOLOGICAL CHANGES OCCURING IN TROPICAL REGIONS

Time Notable Changes

12 hours Rigor Mortis is present all over the body; Hypostasis is well
developed; Greenish Discoloration showing over
the caecum
24 hours Rigor Mortis is absent all over the body; Greenish discoloration over
the whole
abdomen and spreading to the chest; Abdomen distended with
gases

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48 hours Ova of flies can be seen; Trunk bloated; Face discolored and
swollen; Blisters present; Moving Maggots can be
seen
72 hours Whole body grossly swollen and disfigured; hair and nails loose;
tissues soft and discolored
1 week Soft viscera is putrefied
2 weeks Only more resistant viscera is distinguishable; soft tissues largely
gone
1 month Body is skeletonized

MODIFICATION OF PUTREFACTION

Mummification – the dehydration of the whole body which results in the shivering
and preservation of the body. It usually occurs when the body is buried in a hot and
dry place with free access of air.

Maceration – softening of the tissues when in fluid medium in the absence of

putrefactive microorganism which is frequently observed in the death of the fetus en
eutero.

Saponification – a condition where the fatty tissues are transformed to soft brownish-
white substance known as adipocere.

DURATION OF DEATH

 In the determination as to how long a person has been dead from the
condition of the cadaver and other external evidences, the following points
must be taken into consideration.

1. Presence of Rigor Mortis

 In warm countries like the Philippines, rigor mortis sets from 2 to 3 hours
after death. It is fully developed in the body after 12 hours. It may last from
18 hours to 36 hours and its disappearance is concomitant with the onset of
putrefaction.
2. Presence of Post-Mortem Lividity
 Post-mortem lividity usually develops 3 to 6 hours after death.
 It first appears as a small petechia-like red spots which later coalesce with
each other to involve bigger areas in the most dependent portions of the
body depending upon the position assumed at the time of death.
3. Onset of Decomposition
 In the Philippines like other tropical countries, decomposition is early and
the average time is 24 to 48 hours after death.
 It is manifested by the presence of watery, foul-smelling froth coming out
of the nostrils and mouth, softness of the body and presence of
crepitation when pressure is applied on the skin.
4. Stage of Decomposition
 The approximate time of death may be inferred from the degree of
decomposition, although it must be made with extreme caution. There are
several factors which modify putrefaction of the body.
5. Entomology of the Cadaver
 In order to approximate the time of death by the use of the flies
present in the cadaver, it is necessary to know the life cycle of the flies.
 The common flies undergo larval, pupal and adult stages. The usual time for
the egg to be hatched into larva is 24 hours, so that by the mere fact that
there are maggots in the cadaver, one can conclude that death has
occurred more than 24 hours.
6. Stage of Digestion of Food in the Stomach
 It takes normally 3 to 4 hours for the stomach to evacuate its content after
meal.
 The approximate time of death may be deduced from the amount of
food in the stomach in relation to his last meal.
7. Presence of Live Fleas in Drowning Cases
 A flea can only survive for approximately 24 hours submerged in water.
It can no longer be revived if submerged more than that period.
 In temperature countries, people wear woolen clothes. If the body is found in
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water, the fleas may be found in the woolen clothing.
 The fleas recovered must be place in a watch glass and observed if it is still
living. If the fleas still could move, then the body has been in water for a
period of less than 24 hours.
 Revival of the life of the fleas is not possible if they are in water for more
than 24 hours.
8. Amount of Urine in the Bladder
 The amount of urine in the urinary bladder may indicate the time of death
when taken into consideration; he was last seen voiding his urine. There
are several factors which may modify urination so it must be utilized with
cautions.

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9. State of the Clothing

 A circumstantial proof of the time of death is the apparel of the deceased. If
the victim is wearing street clothes, there is more likelihood that death took
place at daytime, but if in night gown or pajama, it is more probable that
death occurred at night time.
10. Chemical Changes in the Cerebro-Spinal Fluid
 Lactic acid increase from 15 to 200 mg. per 100 cc.
 Non-protein nitrogen increase from 15 to 40 mg.
 Amino-acid concentration rises from 1 % to 12 % following death.
11. Post-Mortem Clotting and Decoagulation of Blood
 Blood clots inside the blood vessels in 6 to 8 hours after death.
Decoagulation of the blood occurs at the early stage of decomposition.
 The presence of any of these conditions may infer the approximate
duration of death.
12. Presence or Absence of Soft Tissues in Skeletal Remains
 Under ordinary condition, the soft tissues of the body may disappear 1
to 2 years’ time after burial.
13. Conditions of the Bone
 If all the tissues have already disappeared from the skeletal remains, the
degree of erosion of the epiphyseal ends of long bones, pulverization of flat
bones and diminution of weight due to the loss of animal matter maybe the
basis of the approximation.

Chapter IV
Medico Legal Investigation of Death

STAGES OF MEDICO-LEGAL INVESTIGATION OF DEATH

1. Crime Scene Investigation

 The crime scene is the place where the essential ingredients of the criminal
act took place. This includes the setting of the crime and also the adjoining
places of entry and exit of both offender and victim.
 Not all crimes have a well-defined scene, like estafa, malversation, continuing
crimes, etc.
 However, where medical evidence may be present, like murder, homicide,
physical injuries, sex crime- crime scene is almost invariably present.

2. Autopsy
 An autopsy is a comprehensive study of a dead body, performed by a trained
physician employing recognized dissection procedure and techniques.
 It includes removal of tissues for further examination. There are two kinds of
autopsies, i.e., hospital or non-official autopsy, and medico-legal or official
autopsy.

a. Hospital or Non- Official Autopsy

This is an autopsy done on a human body with the consent of the
deceased person’s relatives for the purpose of:
☃ Determining the cause of death.
☃ Providing correlation of clinical diagnosis and clinical symptoms;
☃ Determining the effectiveness of therapy;
☃ Studying the natural cause of disease process; and
☃ Educating students and physicians.

b. Medico-legal or Official Examination

☃ Determining the cause, mode, and time of death;

☃ Recovering, identifying, and preserving evidentiary material;
☃ Providing interpretation and correlation of facts and circumstances related
to death;
☃ Providing a factual, objective medical report for law enforcement,
prosecution, and defense agencies; and
☃ Separating death due to disease from death due to external cause for
protection of the innocent.
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Chapter V
Causes of Death

THE CAUSE OF DEATH

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The cause of death is the injury, disease, or the combination of both which produce
the fatal termination. Cause of death may either be;
 Immediate or Primary Cause of Death- applies when trauma or disease kill
quickly that there is no time for complications to develop.
 Proximate (Secondary)Cause of Death- occurs when the injury or
disease was survived but complications developed which actually
caused the death.

Manner of Death -the explanation as to how the cause of death arose. It can be
natural or violent.

As much as possible the use of the term “probably” as a qualification to a cause of

death must be discouraged inasmuch as it is not definite.

MEDICO-LEGAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF DEATH

1. Natural Death
 This is death caused by natural disease condition in the body.
 The disease may develop spontaneously or it might have been a
consequence of physical injury inflicted prior to its development.
 If a natural disease developed without the intervention of the felonious acts of
another person, no one can be held responsible for the death.
2. Violent or Unnatural Death
 Violent deaths are those due to injuries inflicted in the body by some forms of
outside force.
 The physical injury must be the proximate
cause of death. Examples:
a. Accidental Death- death due to misadventure or accident.
b. Negligent Death- death due to reckless imprudence, negligence, lack of skill,
or lack of foresight.
c. Suicidal Death- destruction of one’s own life.
d. Parricide- killing one’s father, mother, or child
e. Homicidal- killing of person other than ascendants or descendants.

The death of the victim is presumed to be natural consequence of the

physical injuries inflicted, when the following facts are established:

 That the victim at the time of physical injuries is inflicted was in normal health.
 That the death may be expected from physical injuries inflicted.
 That death ensued within a reasonable time.

PATHOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF DEATH

1. Death from Syncope

 This is death due to sudden and fatal cessation of the action of the heart with
circulation included.
2. Death from Asphyxia
 Asphyxia is a condition in which the supply of the oxygen to the blood or to
tissues or to both has reduced below.
3. Death from Coma
 Coma is the state of unconsciousness with insensibility of the pupil and
conjunctivae, and inability to swallow, resulting from the arrest of the
functions of the brain.

Chapter VI
Special Deaths

JUDICIAL DEATH

1. Death by electrocution – an alternating current voltage of more than 1, 500 volts

is out until the convict dies.
2. Death by hanging – considered to be the most gruesome means of death in the
Philippines.
3. Death by Musketry – the convict is made to face a firing squad and is put to death by
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a volley of fire.
4. Other methods of Capital Punishment:
a. Beheading, crucifixion, beating, cutting asunder and etc.
5. Death by gas chamber – carbon monoxide will be pumped on a room.

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DEATH FROM STARVATION

Starvation or Inanition – the deprivation of a regular and constant supply of food and
water which is necessary to normal health or a person. The cause may be due to
suicidal, homicidal or accidental.

Types of Starvation
a. Acute Starvation – food is suddenly and completely withheld from a person.
b. Chronic Starvation – gradual or deficient supply of food.

The human body without food loses 1/24th of its weight daily, and a loss of 40% of the weight
results to death. The length of the survival depends upon the presence or absence of water.
Without food and water, a person cannot survive more than 10 days. But with water a person may
survive without food for 50 to 60 days.

Factors that influence the length of survival:

 Age – children and older people die quickly
 Body Condition – naturally a healthy person with more fat deposit can resist
more deprival of food.
 Sex – women can withstand starvation longer because they have relatively
more adipose tissues than men.
 Environment – exposure to higher temperature will accelerate death.

DEATH FROM ASPHYXIA

Asphyxia – decreased oxygen supply due to interference of respiration.

Types of Death by Asphyxia

 Anoxic Death – due to decreased oxygen in the blood.

 Anemic Anoxic Death – due to decreased capacity of blood to carry oxygen.
 Stagnant Anoxic Death – due to failure of circulation
 Histotoxic Anoxic Death – due to failure of cells to use oxygen.

ASPHYXIA BY STRANGULATION

 Strangulation by Ligature – produced by compression of the neck by means of a

ligature tightened by force.
 Mugging – assailant is at the back and forearm is applied in front of the neck of
the victim
 Palmar Strangulation – palm of the hand is pressed in front of the neck without
use of the fingers
 Garroting – ligature, metal collar, or bowstring is placed around the neck and
tightened at the back.
 Throttling – constricting force is the hand

ASPHYXIA BY SUFFOCATION

 Suffocation is the exclusion of air from the lungs by closure of the air openings
 Smothering – closing of the air openings with the use of hand or other means
 Overlaying – use of pillow or beddings
 Gagging – use of handkerchief or clothing
 Choking – due to impaction of foreign body in the respiratory passages

Chapter VII
Disposal of the Dead Body

DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD BODY

Persons Charged with Duty of Burial (Sec. 1103, RAC)

a. If deceased was a married person, the duty is upon the surviving spouse.
b. If deceased was an unmarried person, the duty is upon the nearest next of kin.
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Notes in Legal Medicine (2nd Term, 2023-2024) J.M.Dato, L.A.Rilveria, SRAU Ubilas
 Compiled by: Leia Grace Elaine U. Bayag-o
c. If deceased left no spouse or relatives, the duty is upon the municipal authorities.

METHODS OF DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD BODY

a. Embalming – artificial way of preserving the body after death by injecting 6 to 8

quarts of formalin

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Notes in Legal Medicine (2nd Term, 2023-2024) J.M.Dato, L.A.Rilveria, SRAU Ubilas
 Compiled by: Leia Grace Elaine U. Bayag-o

b. Burial or inhumation – if the body is not embalmed, it should be buried within

48 hours except
 When it is still a subject matter of legal investigation
 When it is specifically authorized by the local health authorities that the
body may be buried more than 48 hours after death
c. Cremation – pulverization of the body into ashes by the application of heat
d. Use of the body for Scientific Purposes
e. Disposing the Dead Body in the Sea

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Notes in Legal Medicine (2nd Term, 2023-2024) J.M.Dato, L.A.Rilveria, SRAU Ubilas