Marbling In Forensic Medicine

Students will participate in classroom and online lectures case discussions and laboratory training.

Marbling in forensic medicine. See air embolism pulmonary barotrauma. Dependent areas affected by oedema and also within the venous system leading to haemolysis and staining of vessel walls and adjacent tissues. Marbling may develop with the delineation of the vasculature as a result of the reaction of hydrogen sulfide produced by bacteria with hemoglobin from the lysis of erythrocytes as shown below. Decomposition is the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide water simple sugars and mineral salts the process is a part of the nutrient cycle and is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biosphere bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death.

Marbling over the trunk and limbs is another feature of postmortem skin decomposition caused by the spread of bacteria through the venous system. 8 deaths where there are open wounds or injuries to the body such as burns or lacerations may also putrefy at an accelerated rate due to breaching of the skin barrier. Bacteria multiply within the vasculature and their presence leads to haemolysis and decomposition of the blood within those vessels. Postmortem skin changes include livor mortis vibices tardieu spots and marbling.

See air embolism pulmonary barotrauma. Onset of lividity its location and color provide information on the time and cause of death. Putrefactive bacteria spread most easily in fluid and thus initially spread to and cause discoloration of the more moist areas of the body e g. Livor mortis refers to the bluish purple discoloration lividity under the skin of the lower body parts due to gravitation of blood after death.

The master of science ms in forensic medicine is a full time non thesis 18 month graduate degree program that prepares students for careers in forensic medicine. Marbling forensic pathology venous patterning a mosaic of discoloration due to prominent subdermal vessels on the skin of a body in early decomposition decay sports medicine skin marbling mottling of skin seen in divers with pulmonary barotrauma and air embolism. This process can be seen as discolouration of the vessels marbling. I e so called venous marbling.