The signs of death occur as follows:—
1. Entire and continuous cessation of the respiration and circulation; no sounds heard on auscultation. The absence of the heart sounds is the most important sign of death, for even in the severest forms of syncope the cardiac pulsations, as shown by M. Bouchet, can with care be heard.
Tests for cessation of respiration:—
(a) Auscultation. (b) Placing a cold hand-mirror or empty drinking-glass over the mouth or nostrils, or a light feather, and noting the presence or absence of bedewing or movement. (c) Placing a shallow vessel, such as a saucer, full of water on the chest or abdomen, and observing the presence or absence of rippling of the fluid (Winslow‘s test).
Tests for cessation of the circulation:—
(a) Auscultation.
(b) Manual exploration of the principal arteries for pulsation or thrill.
(c) Magnus‘s test, applying a ligature tightly round a finger, sufficient to stop the venous but not the arterial circulation, and noticing whether or not a bloodless ring forms at the seat of ligature, and a zone of livid redness on the distal side of the ligature, the part becoming first red, then purple.
(d) Applying pressure to the finger-nail, and noticing whether the colour disappears on pressure, and a pink tinge appears after relaxing the pressure.
(e) Applying heat, such as dropping melted sealing-wax on the skin, and noting whether or not redness or vesication ensues.