A manual of medical jurisprudence and toxicology / by Henry C. Chapman.

  • Chapman, Henry C. (Henry Cadwalader), 1845-1909.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of medical jurisprudence and toxicology / by Henry C. Chapman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    Conversion into Adipocere.—Under certain circumstances, a dead body, instead of undergoing putrefaction in the ordi- nary manner, is converted into the substance known as adipocere, so called on account of its general resem- blance to a combination of fat and wax.1 Adipocere, being chemically either ammonium or calcium stearate or oleate, is probably produced through the combination of a fatty acid of the fat with the ammonium resulting from the de- composition of the nitrogeneous tissues, the ammonium being often replaced afterwards by calcium. The forma- tion of adipocere being therefore a saponification, the presence of water, as might be expected, is e.ssential to its production. Dead bodies are, therefore, converted into adipocere only in graves containing water, or in wet or at least very moist soil. Inasmuch as dead bodies lying in water for any length of time may be converted into adipo- cere, it becomes a matter of importance to determine the length of time required for such conversion, since it will enable the medicaf examiner to state, in a general way at least, how long the body has been lying in the water when it was found. As the result of observations and experi- ments it may be said that, on the average, the body of a new-born child will be changed into adipocere after re- maining in water between five and six weeks. An adult body requires, for complete conversion into adipocere, one year if immersed in water, and three years or more if buried in wet earth.2 Length of Time Elapsing since Death.—Having de- scribed in a general way the signs of death, there still 1 Fourcroy : Annates de Chimie, tome v., 1790, p. 154; tome vii. p. 17; Ohevreul: ibid., tome xcv. p. 5; Orfila et L&sueur: Tiuiie des Ex- humations juridiques, tome i., Paris, 18ol, p. 351; Schaueustein in Maschka, vol. iii. S. 445. 2 Devergie: Medecim legale, tome i., Paris, p. 97.