Corpse: Nature, Forensics, and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death

Book Reviews | Nov 24th, 2006

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Author: Jessica Snyder Sachs
Publisher: Perseus Publishing
Genre: Non-Fiction/Science
Pages: 288
Retail Price: 9.99
Buy on Amazon.com link

Science can now tell us much about the functions of the human body, but when exactly a body expires still remains nature’s secret.

This elusive datum is of extreme importance in homicide investigations, as the time of death can help identify the victim, identify the murderer, or clear or incriminate a suspect. Forensic experts have been allow to testify in homicide cases for dozens of years now, and in high profile cases (most notably, OJ Simpson), and juries have reached decisions based largely on their testimonies. However, there is yet an accurate measure of time of death and “expert” testimony is really nothing more than an educated guess. The methods of anatomical measurement used now – rigor, livor and algor mortis, and the analysis of stomach contacts and eyeball fluid – can’t narrow the time beyond half a day or so, and there are too many environmental and internal factors that can skew any probable window of time of death. As a result, there is a major need to find a credible method to find the human body’s off switch, so that innocents won’t be wrongly convicted and murderers freed.

In Corpse, pop-science author Jessica Snyder Sachs makes the case that a possible solution might be in the under-appreciated (and horribly disgusting) fields of forensics entomology and forensics botany. In stomach-churning details, she explains the use of maggots and other insects in helping pinpoint the time of death. Very graphically, it is described how long it would take for a sunflower to grow out of a corpse’s empty eye socket, or for maggots to pupate on a bloated belly.

The book is actually very fascinating and engrossing (and just plain gross), and I do agree that entomology, anthropology and botany can help aid the process of time of death determination. I don’t, however, think these new methods are the golden keys to unlocking this mystery, since there are just as many variables to skew any reasonable estimate by using them as there are with the anatomical measurements. Still, this book was very well-researched and enlightening, and I learned a lot, namely:

1) I’m definitely getting cremated, and
2) I don’t think I could eat rare meat again for a long time.

Bottom Line: Engrossing (and gross).
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