Estimation of Post-Mortem Interval from Rectal Temperature by Use of Computer

Abstract

The simulation model of the approximate equations derived from the infinite cylinder was used to investigate the applicability of the theoretical curve to the actual one of rectal temperature. The rectum was found by the computer tomography to be near to the junction of the anterior three-quarters and the posterior quarter inside the body, and this result was employed in the simulation. The method of estimating the postmortem interval, in which two recordings of rectal temperature were used, was considered to be useful enough as it can be applied to any case in practice. As reported by Akaishi et al., fluctuation of less than 2 °C in the ambient temperature was shown by the simulation to have little effect on the rectal temperature curve.