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09:34
A Method to Estimate Cadaveric Femur Cortical Strains During Fracture Testing Using Digital Image Correlation
Published on: September 14, 2017
Characteristics of corpse damage caused by scuds
Magda Wojarska1, Lidia Ziobro1, Oliwia Boruta1
1Jagiellonian University Medical College, Poland.
Archiwum Medycyny Sadowej I Kryminologii
|May 14, 2025
Summary
Scud scavenging causes characteristic skin lesions on drowning victims, particularly in the Vistula River. This damage occurs with short immersion times and warmer temperatures, increasing in spring and summer.
Area of Science:
- Forensic pathology
- Aquatic entomology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Scuds (crustaceans) can cause postmortem skin damage.
- Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for forensic investigations.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate scud damage on drowning victims.
- Identify contributing factors like immersion duration, water bodies, temperature, and season.
- Characterize the resulting skin lesions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 285 drowning victim autopsy reports (2015-2024).
- Verification of injuries via documentation and photographs.
- Histopathological examination to detect crustacean digestive contents.
Main Results:
- Punctate epidermal disruption was a common finding.
- Scuds and lesions were found in 5 cases; lesions without scuds in 25 cases.
- Damage occurred with short immersion times, positive air temperatures, and increased in spring/summer, notably in the Vistula River.
Conclusions:
- Scud scavenging, including by D. haemobaphes, causes characteristic punctate epidermal lesions.
- Damage is indicative of short postmortem submersion intervals.
- Environmental factors like temperature and season influence scud activity on corpses.
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