DECOMPOSITION /

PUTREFACTION
• It involves two processes:
• autolysis
• and putrefaction .
Autolysis
• Autolysis :-
• Soon after death, cell membrane become
permeable and breakdown , with release of
cytoplasm containing enzymes.
• The proteolytic, glycolytic, and lipolytic action
of ferments cause autodigestion and
disintegration of organs which occur without
bacterial influence.
• The chemical process is increased by heat
and is stopped by freezing or inactivation of
enzymes by the heat.
• The earliest autolytic changes occur in
parenchymatous and glandular tissues and in
the brain.
• Autolytic fermentation results in maceration of
• Auto-digestion by acrid gastric juice is a
common finding in the newborn and
infants, and is seen as softening and
rupture of stomach and lower oesophagus.
 Putrefaction:
• It is a process by which complex organic
body tissue break down into simpler
inorganic compounds due to action of
saprophytic micro-organisms or due to
autolysis.
• Final stage following death, produced
mainly by the action of bacterial enzymes,
mainly anerobic organisms derived from
the intestines.
• Micro-organisms involved : Clostridium
welchii, Staphylococcus, non-hemolytic
• Putrefaction usually follows the
disappearance of rigor mortis. During hot
seasons , it commence before rigor mortis
has completely disappeared from lower
extremities.
• After death, body’s protective functions are
absent and its defense barrier is lost.
Saprophytic microorganisms which can not
invade the body during life .
• Physical and chemical agents which are
present in environment , all acts on dead
body. Further some body chemical and
enzymes which are helpful in different
metabolic processes ,in the absence of
physiological control after death, start acting
adversely.
 External signs of Decomposition :
• Decompositions changes (4D’s) :
• Discoloration : Greenish discoloration in
lower abdominal quadrants.
• Distension : Various gases produced during
decomposition permeate into skin , soft tissue
and organs which manifests as crepitus and
distension.
• Degradation : loss of anatomic integrity of
skin and other tissues such as localized
peeling of skin , loosening of skins of hands
and feet and loosening of hair and nails .
• Dissolution : progressive decomposition
leads to liquefaction and disappearance of
tissues and organs and eventual
skeletonization.
• Discoloration : the first external sign of
decomposition is usually a greenish discoloration
over right iliac fossa over a region of the caecum
which lies superficially.
• Bacteria spread directly from the bowel into the
tissues of the abdominal wall . At early stage of
putrefaction , hemoglobin diffuses through the
vessels and stains the surrounding tissues a red
or reddish brown color . In tissues , various
derivatives of hemoglobin are formed including
sulphur containing compounds and the color of the
tissue gradually changes to greenish black.
• The color appears in 12 to 18 hours in summer
and in one to two days in winter .
• The green coloration then spreads over the entire
abdomen, external genitals and then patches
• The patches become dark green and later
purple and dark blue.
• They are at first scattered ,but later on join
together and whole skin of the body
appears discolored.
Marbling of the skin :
• The blood vessels provide an important route
through which the bacteria can spread with ease
throughout the body.
• Their passage is well marked by the deposition
of the hemoglobin to sulphmethemoglobin in the
blood vessels which causes a greenish or
reddish brown staining of the inner walls of the
superficial vessels.
• This is seen as linear branching pattern which
gives marbled appearance of the skin .
• Areas where visible : shoulder , roots of the
limb, thighs, sides of abdomen , chest and neck.
• Onset : in summers marbling is seen in 36-48
hours after death.
 MARBLING OF THE
BODY
 Post mortem luminescence
• Usually due to contamination by bacteria ,
like Photobacterium fischeri , the light
comes from them and light comes from
them not from putrefying material .
• Luminiscent fungi , Armillaria mellea , are
other sources of light .
 Skeletonization of the body
• Skeletonization of the dead body takes
varying time depending on several factors
.
• In buried dead bodies, skeletonization
may take one year.
• When disposed carelessly on land or
water , skeletonization may occur within
few days to few months.
• Destruction of the bones ordinarily takes
several years.
SKELETONIZATION
 Internal changes due to
•
Putrefaction
The organs composed of muscular tissues and
those containing large amount of the fibrous tissue
resist putrefaction longer than the
parenchymatous organs , with the exception of the
stomach and intestine , which decomposes rapidly
because of their contents at the time of death.
• Liver softens and become flabby in 12-24 hours
and blister appear on its surface in 24- 36 hours.
The liver assumes a ‘Honey comb’( Foamy or
Swiss cheese) appearance due to formation of air
bubbles .
• It becomes greenish in color and later changes to
the coal black.
• Heart may show white granularity consisting of
calcium and soapy material on epicardial and
• Early Putrefaction • Late Putrefaction
• Larynx and trachea • Heart
• Brain • Lungs
• Stomach • Kidneys
• Bladder
• Intestine
• Oesophagus
• Spleen
• Blood vessels
• Omentum & • Prostrate
mesentery
• Non-gravid uterus,
• Liver ovaries.
The various organs putrfy at different rates depending upon the their
difference in structure ,vascularity and access to air and bacteria.
 Factors affecting Putrefaction
• External Factors :
• 1. Environmental Temperature : High temp.
promotes early decomposition .
• The optimum temp. for decomposition is 21 – 38
o o

C . Beyond this temperature , decomposition occur

at slow rate ( delayed when temp. <10 C and > 38
o

oC)
• Decomposition nearly stops at < 0 C and > 48
o o

C).
• The rate of Decomposition is twice as rapid in
summer as in winter.
• Optimum temperature help in :
a) Chemical breakdown of the tissues
b) Promoting the growth of the micro-organisms
responsible for the decomposition.
• 2. Moisture : Presence of moisture
promotes decomposition by promoting the
growth of the organisms.
If body dries up quickly , Putrefaction
ceases and mummification occur.
• 3. Air : Free access of air hastens
putrefaction because air conveys
microorganism to the body.
• 4. Clothing :reduce the of the decomposition
by preventing the invasion of the body by air
borne organisms.
• 5 Manner of burial : if the body is buried
soon after death , putrefaction is less .
• in surface burial , the rate of decomposition is
more than the deep burial , because the
abundance of bacteria in surface soil in
 Internal factors
• Age : the body of the newborn children who have not
been fed , decompose very slowly , because the
bodies are normally sterile . Bodies of children putrefy
rapidly and of old people slowly.
• Sex : no effect.
• Condition of the body : fat and flabby body putrefy
very quickly than the lean bodies, due to larger
amount of fluid in tissues and excess fat and great
retention of fat.
• Cause of death : bodies of persons dies from
septicemia peritonitis, inflammatory and septic
condition, general anasarca , asphyxia etc.
decompose rapidly.
• Putrefaction is delayed after death due to wasting
disease , anemia , debility , poisoning by carbolic acid
, zinc chloride and chronic heavy metal poisoning ,
due to the preservative action of the above