All are signs of somatic death except ?
a) Cessation of respiration
b) Cessation of heart
c) Non-responding muscles
d) No response to external stimuli
Correct Answer - C
Ans. is ‘c’ i.e., Non-responding muscles
Death denotes death of human being (46 IPC). It is defined as
cessation of life or cesation to exist. Death is of two types (1)
somatic death (systemic death or clinical death) and (2) molecular
death (cellular death).
Somatic death (systemic death or clinical death)
It is the complete and irreversible stoppage of the circulation,
respiration and brain functions (bishop’s tripod of life). Somatic death
is associated with immediate signs of death :?
- Permanent and complete cessation of function of brain and flat
electric EEG with no response to external stimuli; i.e. brain death. - Permanent and complete cessation of function of heart and flat
ECG. - Permanent and complete cessation of function of lungs.
Somatic death is due to stopped aerobic processes. However,
anaerobic enzymatic processes are still continuing, hence (i)
muscles still respond to mechanical, electrical and thermal stimuli,
(ii) pupils still respond to miotics and mydriatics.
Molecular death (cellular death)
It occurs after somatic death. It refers to death of all individual cells.
It occurs when even anaerobic processes stop, due to non
availability of ATP. At this stage :
uscles do not respond to stimuli. - Pupils do not respond to stimuli or drugs.
- There are early signs and late signs of death :
Early signs : Changes in skin and eye, cooling of the body, post-
mortem lividity, changes in muscles (e.g. primary relaxation, rigor
mortis).
Late signs : Decomposition (putrefaction), adipocere fromation and
mummification. - Molecular death of various organs occur at different intervals
after somatic death : - Nervous tissue —> After 5 minutes.
- Liver —> After 15 minutes.
- Heart —> After 45 minutes.
- Kidney —> After 1 hours.
- Muscles —> After 3 hours.
- Cornea —> After 6 hours.
- Blood After 6 hours.