It’s no secret that eventually we are all going to die. A lot of people though, aren’t aware of what happens to a body after death. For good reason most people don’t want to know or don’t care to know. Those who are interested usually work in that realm of business in one way or another. Let’s face it, the facts are pretty disgusting and there aren’t many of us out there that want to see that, let alone study it. However, it’s a much needed thing to do. Studying the dead bodies can give plenty of information to law enforcement and doctors. While this won’t lead to saving many lives, it can help close cases for police and help in determining the cause of death and the time as well. In rare occasions information may be found that can actually help doctors deal with certain things while a body is still alive. The people that do this type of research can’t just walk the streets hoping that someone drops dead. Chances of that happening are pretty low. So officials have actually created “body farms” for bodies to be brought to and studied. The results can be found as you read on. Before you continue however, you should know that this isn’t a lunch time read.We all know that we are going to die eventually. How we die dictates what happens to our bodies afterward.
Studying dead bodies yields a lot of valuable information. This helps both police and doctors.
Studying can tell police the time of death and sometimes the cause as well. This is always helpful information.
When people want to study dead bodies where would they go? Believe it or not there are actually “body farms” that offer this type of research.
Researchers can study decomposition in a number of settings. This helps them read the signs in the future deaths.
The results found on these farms are very helpful. The info is then passed on to law enforcement and doctors.
One of the farms is located in San Marcos, Texas, on the grounds of Texas State University. It’s called the Freeman Ranch Body Farm.
This is good guide to show you what happens to a dead body. It’s very helpful in determining the time of death.
When a body dies the liver and brain are usually the first to start showing effects of the death. It will then spread to other areas.
Gasses gather up in the body and cause bloating. That’s usually one of the first things you can see in a body after death.
This usually starts to happen 1-3 hours after the body dies. In 10-12 hours it will be developed in full.
This causes the muscles to get stiff and rigor mortis then sets in. This could start 2-6 hours after death.
Many liquids leave a dead body. If they are on grass or dirt they are soaked up into the earth.
Tongue swelling and eye bulging are a couple of the first signs of decomposition. The gasses inside force them outward.
Sometimes adipocere can happen, causing the body to be encased in a wax like substance. Usually cold soil or water can cause this to happen.
This chart actually shows what causes that horrible smell of a dead body. If you haven’t ever smelled it you are very lucky.
Bacteria forms inside the dead body that causes those gasses to start to build up. This forces everything outward.
Eventually the gasses will cause the internal organs to melt. This is also helped along as the skin decays.
The bloating will eventually reach a point that it will actually burst. This releases all of the decomposition fluids that have gathered inside.
Maggots start to grow after the body has been dead for a certain time. Law enforcement can use this as a guide to the time of death.
Depending on what environment the body has died, the decomposition period can be very quick or take a lot longer. It can actually take a couple of months to complete.
Once all of the flesh is gone, only the insides remain. Being exposed can lead to the organs going quickly after the flesh.
If the weather is average, around 70 degrees, the decomposition process can take a little more than three weeks. The colder the temperature the longer the body will last.
If the body dies in a very warm temperature the process can move along very quickly. This can make it tough to determine a cause of death.
