Death By Suffocation
Signs and Symptoms.--There are usually three stages:
1. Exaggerated respiratory activity; air hunger; anxiety; congested
appearance of face; ringing in ears.
2. Loss of consciousness; convulsions; relaxation of sphincters.
3. Respirations feeble and gasping, and soon cease; convulsions of
stretching character; heart continues to beat for three to four minutes
after breathing ce
Post-Mortem Appearances--External.--Cadaveric lividity well marked;
nose, lips, ears, finger-tips almost black in colour; appearance may be
placid or, if asphyxia has been sudden, the tongue may be protruded and
eyeballs prominent, with much bloody mucus escaping from mouth and nose.
Internal.--The blood is dark and remains fluid; great engorgement of
venous system, right side of heart, great veins of thorax and abdomen,
liver, spleen, etc. Lungs dark purple in colour; much bloody froth
escapes on squeezing them; mucous lining of trachea and bronchi
congested and bright red in colour; air-cells distended or ruptured;
many small hæmorrhages on surface of lungs and other organs, as well as
in their substance (Tardieu's spots), due to rupture of venous
capillaries from increased vascular pressure.
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