What does Casper Dictum indicate?: (A) Identification of dead body, (B) Calculation of time since death, (C) Detection of child abuse, (D) Rate of putrefaction
Answer is D. Casper dictum is useful for a rough assessment of the rate of decomposition of the dead body. It is 8 times slower under soil, and 2 times slower under water compared to air. Conditions that accelerate decomposition are: Septicemia Rhabdomyolysis Cocaine overdose Edematous area Conditions that retards decomposition are: Dehydration Massive blood loss Cold environment Embalming Ref: Principles of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology By Rajesh Bardale, page 158.