First.—From a few minutes to twenty hours after death—Animal heat more or less present, but seldom continuing longer than ten or twelve hours. Muscles contract on the application of galvanic stimuli, and in the earlier stage to blows.
Second.—From ten hours to three days—Body quite cold and rigor mortis well marked; muscles do not contract on the application of stimuli. The age, mode of death, and other collateral circumstances must, more or less, be taken into consideration before an opinion can be given.
Third.—From three to eight days—The body is quite cold, and cadaveric rigidity has passed off. The muscles no longer respond to any galvanic or mechanical stimulus. The stage is modified and somewhat shortened in summer.
Fourth.—From six to twelve days—Commencement of putrefaction. Putrefaction may, however, take place on the first or second day after death; so that, as before stated, care must be taken before any positive decision can be given.
Stature.—As a general rule the length of the body is equal to the distance between the tips of the middle fingers with the arms outstretched. If an arm be missing, the length of the remaining one multiplied by two, with the addition of 6 inches for each clavicle and 1½ inches for the width of the sternum, will give the approximate height. The femur is said to be equal to .275 of the body height. If the skeleton be entire, the addition of 1½ inches for the soft parts should be made.
Where only a limb or long bone or part of one be available, it is not possible to give anything more than an approximate opinion of the height.
Sex.—When mutilation, putrefaction, or charring has taken place, by which the genitalia have been demolished, it may be difficult to determine the sex. Evidence will be afforded by the distribution of the pubic hair, which in the male reaches as high as the umbilicus, but is horizontal with few exceptions in the female. Males have more hair on the body generally.
The presence of moustachios and beard and the length of the hair on the head will assist in sex determination.
The breasts if present will denote the sex, also the uterus, which withstands putrefaction and burning to a marked degree.
Remains of clothing and ornaments will indicate the sex of the wearer.