23 - Causes of Post mortem caloricity

*Post mortem Caloricity is a condition where the temperature of the body remains raised for the first two or so hours after death. In certain conditions, instead of promoting the process of cooling of the body, act in a way, so that, the body temperature is either high at the time of death or is increased for sometime after death, so that, at a particular time after death the body may appear disproportionately warmer than what it should have been. This is termed as Post Mortem Caloricity and the conditions are

1.      Post mortem Glycogenolysis

a.       This is a normal phenomenon and the rise is 3.6^oF or 2^oC

2.      Various Causes of Death such as

a.       Septicaemia,

                                                              i.      Infectious diseases,

                                                            ii.      Bacteremia

                                                          iii.      Tetanus, Rabies, yellow fever

b.      Asphyxial Conditions

c.       Severe convulsions

                                                              i.      Tetanus

                                                            ii.      Strychnine

d.      Hyperpyrexia at death

                                                              i.      Heat Stroke (sun stroke)

                                                            ii.      Pontine Haemorrhage

e.       High Atmospheric Temperature

f.        Peritonitis, Meningitis, Nephritis

g.       Alcohol poisoning