上面一段係喺淡水浸住時啲症狀, 原文在病理學期刊刊登
https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/45/8/654.full.pdf
呢段係講浸係水之後肢體僵硬嘅變化 --->
人體浸入水中的效果
這些在標准情況下所觀察的,並且會就浸水時間和水溫所影響,其他因素(例如水是靜止還是流動,淡水或鹹水,清潔或污水)也很重要。
浸水會在死亡後出現大部份的變化。體溫下降直接與水溫有關。在英國,浸在水的冷卻速度大約是空氣的兩倍,在流動的河流和溪流中會更快。肢體僵硬發生和持續時間也受水溫的影響:在冷水中,肢體僵硬會較遲發生而且持續較久。溺水是一種容易分辨的情況,在這種情況下可能會發生屍體痙攣(即刻僵硬)(比喻為“溺水的人抓著稻草”)。由於大多數溺斃的人容易浮上水面,手臂和大腿向下垂,在面部,頸部,上前胸部,前臂,手,小腿和腳上的血液沉積通常最大。在高加索人中可能是粉紅色的,因死後浸水皮膚會加快充氧作用,或只是低溫的結果。被快速流動的水沖刷時會減慢,甚至完全抑制血液沉澱。
腐爛分解(腐敗)也受水溫的影響。在英國,人體腐爛會較在空氣中時, 需時多一陪,在流動水中可能更久,但在嚴重污染的水就會較快 ;在熱帶水中人體可以在24小時左右開始分解,相反在持續低於5°C的水中, 可能幾個星期亦沒有明顯的分解跡象。隨著腐爛發展,腸內的氣體的形成會逐漸增加浮力,並在沒有限制時, 會腹部向上浮上水面(在英國大約三到十四天后,取決於季節)特別的是, 曾浸水的人體暴露空氣中,即使有足夠的雪藏環境分解仍會非常迅速。人體經過長時間浸泡會形成脂肪。
浸軟是浸入水中的特徵,是因皮膚吸收水份。首先出現在指尖上,然後是手掌,然後是手背。類似的變化很快會在其他皮膚, 例如腳發生。皮膚會變白,浸透,變厚和起皺(有時稱為“洗衣婦女的皮膚”)。表皮隨著時間變得鬆散和剝落。到最後指甲和頭髮脫落。浸軟會在溫水中加快(可能會在幾分鐘之內出現),但在溫帶氣候下,通常需要8至24小時, 才可觀察到明顯變化。表皮大約7至10天后開始分離,大約3至4週後,皮膚和指甲可能已經足夠分離, 甚至可以像手套一樣脫掉, 衣物包括鞋會延遲浸軟達50% 。由此可知不同的因素會令腐爛有很大差別;估計浸水的時間長度極困難,在嘗試得出結論時必須格外小心。
Effects of immersion in water
These, reviewed in standard texts, are obviously influenced by duration and water temperature, but other factors, such as whether the water is still or flowing, fresh or salt, clean or polluted, are also relevant.
Immersion modifies most changes after death. Bodycooling will relate directly to the water temperature. In the United Kingdom cooling in water is roughly twice that in air, and is accelerated in flowing rivers and streams. Onset and duration of rigor mortis are also affected by water temperature: in cold water onset is delayed and duration prolonged. Drowning is a well recognised context in which cadaveric spasm (instantaneous rigor) maybe encountered ("the drowning man clutching at straws"). As most submerged bodies float prone, with arms and legs hanging downwards, hypostasis (lividity )is usually maximal on face, neck, upper anterior chest, forearms, hands, lower legs and feet. In Caucasians it may be appreciably pink, perhaps because immersion facilitates oxygenation through the wet skin after death, or perhaps merely the result of cold. With fast flowing water, the constant movement may impair ,if not inhibit completely, development of hypostasis.
Decomposition (putrefaction) is also influenced by water temperature. In the United Kingdom time intervals associated with the various standard changes are about twice as long as those in air, but may be prolonged further in flowing water and reduced in heavy pollution.In tropical waters decomposition may be established by 24 hours, where as none may be apparent after several weeks in water constantly below 40°F(5°C). With advancing decomposition, gas formation increases buoyancy until ultimately (in the United Kingdom after about three to 14 days, depending on the season), and providing it is free to do so ,the body will float, often, because of intestinal putrefactive gases, belly upwards. Interestingly, once a submerged body is exposed to air after recovery, decomposition often proceeds very rapidly, and this may well continue despite apparently adequate refrigeration. With prolonged immersion, adipocere will form.