Text-book of forensic medicine and toxicologyBuchanan, R. J. M. (Robert James McLean)
Science
Text-book of forensic medicine and toxicology
Buchanan, R. J. M. (Robert James McLean)
Medical jurisprudence; Poisons
Death is due to pressure made on the neck by any form of ligature
carried circularly round the neck, without suspension. The cord in
hanging is, as a rule, placed more obliquely than in strangling.
The mode of death is the same as in hanging. The _post-mortem_
appearances are similar to those of hanging, practically those of
asphyxia. The mark on the neck is the principal feature. In position
it is generally horizontal and situated below or on a level with the
thyroid cartilage. It more completely encircles the neck. It may be
interrupted in places if an irregular ligature has been used, causing
irregular pressure. Its character depends largely upon the nature
of the ligature. If the constriction has been uniform a continuous
depression is produced which may be marked by ecchymosis. If the skin
has been abraded, the line dries, and has a brownish, parchment-like
appearance and feeling. If the ligature has been removed before life
is quite extinct, the depressed line may disappear or be but slightly
evident.
A soft, broad ligature may leave no mark on the neck, if not applied
too tightly, or for too long a time. Should the victim have been
strangled in the recumbent posture, and dragged upwards and backwards
by the ligature, the mark will be on a slant as in hanging. According
to the amount of violence used injuries may be caused to the deeper
structures of the neck, such as effusion of blood into muscles,
fractures of the thyroid or cricoid cartilage; rupture of the tympanum
and epistaxis may take place.
=Accidental= strangulation may occur when a cord suspending a weight on
the back and passing across the chest slips and encircles or compresses
the neck.
Falling out of bed, with entanglement in the clothes or nightdress, may
cause strangling by tightening of the neck-band round the neck.
=Homicidal= strangling is as common as homicidal hanging is rare.
It is difficult to hang a man, but easy to strangle him, because
consciousness is rapidly lost, and the victim is unable to offer any
resistance once the cord is tightened round the neck. In homicidal
strangling the murderer generally uses a great deal more violence than
is necessary, and so there is found after death much more local injury
in such cases.
Severe local injuries, such as fracture of the laryngeal cartilages or
hyoid bone, denote homicide, as they are rarely noticed in suicidal
strangulation.
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