[Detection of skin reddening in leaving probands]

The results of 665 physical examinations of the years 1990-1992 (Department of Legal Medicine, Munich) were evaluated and the maximum time-interval in which reddenings of the skin were detectable was investigated. Reddenings without additional findings like pinpoint intracutaneous bleedings or superficial scratches could be observed up to approximately 2 days (1 day 7 hours). In cases with particular pin-point bleedings the changes were found up to approximately 3 days (2 days 9 hours) after the event. The observation that reddenings with additional changes are longer detectable than reddenings without pin-point bleedings can be interpreted as an argument against a possible development of reddenings without additional pin-point bleedings from changes with such findings. This may be important for the refutation of statements concerning the development of such changes at a considerably earlier point of time.