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Is It Normal For The Body Temperature To Drop After Death?
Question: If someone had a fatal accident and sustained severe skull fracture and head injuries and was not discovered for 2 hours - would it be possible that they could have a core body temperature of 34c when found unconscious and not breathing and in cardiac arrest? Would you expect the temperature to be lower if they had the accident 2 hours prior? Do you think it more likely for them to have had the accident within a lesser amount of time before they were found if their temperature read at 34c? I am just trying to understand
Brief Answer:
The temperature corresponds to the time.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I am sorry if you have lost a loved one.
It is normal for the body temperature to drop after death until it reaches the temperature of the environment around it. This drop is a gradual one, it has been calculated by approximately 1.5°C for every hour.
So since normal human body temperature is around 37°C, that body temperature of 34°C would correspond to the supposed times of 2 hours (a 3°C drop).
I hope this was the answer you needed.
The temperature corresponds to the time.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I am sorry if you have lost a loved one.
It is normal for the body temperature to drop after death until it reaches the temperature of the environment around it. This drop is a gradual one, it has been calculated by approximately 1.5°C for every hour.
So since normal human body temperature is around 37°C, that body temperature of 34°C would correspond to the supposed times of 2 hours (a 3°C drop).
I hope this was the answer you needed.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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