Estimation of the Time Since Death remains the foremost authoritative book on scientifically calculating the estimated time of death postmortem. Building on the success of previous editions which covered both the early and later postmortem periods this edition includes a new chapter on DNA/RNA degradation and further new content on drug testing in hair, thus widening the scope of the material. Chapters have been improved, updated and expanded, and include new and additional images to enhance the text. A unique work of synthesis combining rigorous science with practical guidance, this update reinforces the book's reputation as an invaluable resource and also the standard for the estimation of the time since death.


Preface to the Third Edition

Preface to the Fourth Edition

Editor Biography

List of Contributors

1. General Remarks on Estimating the Time Since Death

Burkhard Madea and Claus Henssge

2. Historical Review on Early Work on Estimating the Time Since Death

Bernard Knight and Burkhard Madea

3. Supravitality in Tissues

Burkhard Madea

4. Rigor Mortis: Estimation of the Time Since Death by Evaluation of Cadaveric Rigidity

Thomas Krompecher

5. Post-mortem Lividity: Hypostasis and Timing of Death

Burkhard Madea and Bernard Knight

6. Post-mortem Body Cooling and Temperature-Based Methods

Claus Henssge, Michael Hubig, Michal Kaliszan, Gita Mall, Holger Muggenthaler, Stefan Potente, Guy Rutty

6.1. Basics and Application of the Nomogram Method' at the Scene

Claus Henssge

6.2. Finite Element Method in Temperature-Based Death Time Determination

Michael Hubig, Holger Muggenthaler, Gita Mall

6.3. The Prism Method

Stefan Potente

6.4. The Use of Temperatures Recorded from the External Auditory Canal

for the Estimation of the Post-mortem Intervalt

Guy Rutty

6.5. Eye Temperature and the Time Since Death

Michal Kaliszan

7. Autolysis, Putrefactive Changes and Post-mortem Chemistry

Elke Doberentz, Claus Henssge, Bernhard Knight, Burkhard Madea, Frank Musshoff, Angela Pittner, Stefan Pittner, Torleiv Ole Rognum, Brita Zilg

7. 1. Autolysis (Self-digestion)

Burkhard Madea

7.2a. Eye Changes After Death

Burkhard Madea and Claus Henssge

7.2b. Potassium Levels Combined with Age and Temperature

Brita Zilg

7.2c. Estimation of Time Since Death Based on Vitreous Humour Hypoxanthine and Temperature Measurement

Torleiv Ole Rognum

7. 3. Cerebrospinal Fluid Chemistry

Burkhard Madea and Claus Henssge

7. 4. Estimation of Duration of Immersion

Elke Doberentz and Burkhard Madea

7. 5. H3-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Frank Musshoff and Burkhard Madea

7. 6. Post-mortem Protein Degradation

Stefan Pittner and Angela Pittner

8. DNA/RNA Degradation and Time Since Death

Akihiko Kimura and Toshikazu Kondo

9. Gastric Contents and Time Since Death

Burkhard Madea, Bernard Knight, Elke Doberentz

10. Immunohistochemical Methods as an Aid in Estimating the Time Since Death

Burkhard Madea

11. Practical Casework

Claus Henssge, Burkhard Madea and Stefan Potente

11.1. Integration of Different Methods in Casework

Claus Henssge and Burkhard Madea

11.2. Conditional Probability in Death Time Estimation

Stefan Potente

12. Forensic Entomology

Saskia Reibe

13. Radiocarbon Dating: Basic Principles and Applications

Wilfried Rosendahl and Doris Döppes

14. Cross-Sectional Imaging and the Post-mortem Interval

Guy Rutty

15. Drug Testing in Hair for the Estimation of the Time Since Death

Christopher Wiedfeld and Frank Musshoff

Index

Biography
Professor Burkhard Madea is a world-renowned Forensic Pathologist and is the author of approx. 40 books and 700 papers. He earned his medical license in 1982, working as a Medical Doctor in the German Army from 1983-1984. He studied postgraduate Forensic Medicine at the University of Münster until continuing his Forensic studies at the University of Cologne 1985-1989. In 1991 he was appointed as Professor of Forensic Medicine at the University of Cologne, until 1996 where he was appointed as Professor of Forensic Medicine at the University of Bonn. There he was also appointed as Head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine until his retirement in autumn, 2022.