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Putrefaction is the fifth stage of death, following pallor mortis, livor mortis, algor mortis, and rigor mortis.This process references the breaking down of a body of an animal post-mortem.
The three characteristics of putrefaction are discoloration, disfiguration, and dissolution. There are many factors that could affect the rate of putrefaction in animals such as age, body composition, temperature, and if the body is located in a wet or dry area. [8] Temperature must be between 0 °C and 48 °C for putrefaction to occur.
Putrefaction, the beginning signs of decomposition; Of these, with obvious mortal damage to the body, the textbook conclusive signs of death clear to a lay person are: algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, and putrefaction. [13]
The human body is composed of approximately: 64% water, 20% protein, 10% fat, 1% carbohydrate, 5% minerals. [1] The decomposition of soft tissue is characterized by the breakdown of these macromolecules, and thus a large proportion of the decomposition products should reflect the amount of protein and fat content initially present in the body. [4]
This usually happens around the second week of decomposition. Gas accumulation and bloating will continue until the body is decomposed sufficiently for the gas to escape. The third stage is putrefaction. It is the final and longest stage. Putrefaction is where the larger structures of the body break down, and tissues liquefy.
These multiply, consuming the body's carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, to produce a variety of substances including propionic acid, lactic acid, methane, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. The process of microbial proliferation within a body is referred to as putrefaction and leads to the second stage of decomposition known as bloat. [14]
Along with common factors of temperature, humidity and element exposure, body habitus and clothing are an example of a component that can affect the rate of cooling of the body, and so its rate of decomposition. [5] [6] A very approximate rule of thumb for estimating the postmortem interval is as follows: [7] Warm and flaccid: less than 3 hours
Autolysis and putrefaction are the main processes responsible for the decomposition of remains. [ 1 ] In the healing of wounds, autolytic debridement can be a helpful process, where the body breaks down and liquifies dead tissue so that it can be washed or carried away.