This document defines and classifies asphyxia, describing the signs, symptoms, and types of several asphyxial deaths including suffocation, hanging, strangulation, and drowning. It discusses the causes of death for each type and whether cases are more likely to be accidental, suicidal, or homicidal. Key points covered include the definitions of anoxia and hypoxia as related to asphyxia, classifications of mechanical and chemical asphyxia, and descriptions of hanging by ligature, partial versus complete hanging, and manual strangulation versus ligature strangulation.

1. ASPHYXIA
:SUBMITTED BY •
AMANPREET KAUR •
MSC II •
FORENSIC SCI •
3931 • 1

2. CONTENTS
DEFINITION*
ANOXIA*
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ASPHYXIA*
CLASSIFICATION OF ASPHYXIA*
SUFFOCATION*
HANGING*
STRANGULATION*
DROWNING*
REFERENCES*
2

3. ASPHYXIA
Defective aeration of blood due to any
cause is known as ASPHYXIA. It is
simply a condition in which body
tissues are deprived from oxygen
.completely or partially
The true terms for asphyxia is ANOXIA
.or HYPOXIA
3

4. ANOXIA
:ANOXIA is of three types
ANOXIC ANOXIA *
ANAEMIC ANOXIA *
STAGNANT ANOXIA *
4

5. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
CONGESTION. 1
OEDEMA. 2
CYANOSIS. 3
PETECHIAE. 4
5

6. PETHECHIAE IN EYES
6
CYANOSIS

7. CLASSIFICATION OF
ASPHYXIA
:MECHANICAL. 1
Suffocation *
Hanging *
Strangulation *
Drowning *
CHEMICAL. 2
SEXUAL. 3
7

8. SUFFOCATION
To die as a result of not being able to “
:breath.” It may be due to two reasons
DUE TO LACK OF OXYGEN IN *
ATMOSPHERE
DUE TO OBSTRUCTION OF AIR *
PASSAGES
SMOTHERING. 1
CHOKING. 2
TRAUMATIC ASPHYXIA. 3
GAGGING. 4 8

9. GAGGING SMOTHERING
9

10. CHOKING 10

11. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
Suffocation may be ACCIDENTAL like in *
case of CO poisoning and in case of
choking of respiratory tract internally by
.food bolus
HOMICIDAL cases are common like *
GAGGING is used by the thieves to
.prevent the victim from shouting
SUICIDAL cases are less frequent . But in *
some western countries people use coal
. gas for committing suicide 11

12. HANGING
Form of death produced by
suspending the body
with a ligature round the
neck and here, the
constricting force is
weight of the body.
Commonly used
ligatures are rope,
turban, dhoti, saree ,
belt, or that is available
. at the scene
12

13. TYPES OF HANGING
On the basis of KNOT *
TYPICAL. 1
ATYPICAL. 2
On the basis of SUSPENSION *
COMPLETE. 1
PARTIAL OR INCOMPLETE. 2
13

14. COMPLETE HANGING
14

15. PARTIAL HANGING
15

16. CAUSE OF DEATH IN HANGING
Injury to spinal cord. 1
Sudden stoppage of heartbeat due to . 2
. vaso vagal inhibition
.Occlusion of the airways. 3
.Occlusion of jugular system. 4
.Occlusion of carotid arteries. 5
Fracture or dislocation of cervical . 6
. vertebrae
16

17. Postmortem features in cases of death
due to HANGING
LIGATURE MARKS ON THE NECK*
DRIED DRIBBLES OF SALIAVA AT*
ANGLE OF MOUTH
HYOID BONE FRACTURE*
SWOLLEN FACE WITH PROTRUDED *
EYES AND TOUNGE
PASSAGE OF URINE, FAECES OR *
SEMINAL STAINS
17

18. HANGING
WITH LIGATURE. 1 AFTER . 2
REMOVAL OF
LIGATURE 18

19. Others forms of HANGING
JUDICIAL HANGING *
LYNCHING *
ACCIDENTAL HANGING *
SEXUAL ASPHYXIA (AUTOEROTIC *
(HANGING
19

20. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
. Hanging is mostly of suicidal in nature*
Cases of homicidal hanging are less *
frequently found. Because it is impossible
to control a person while he is alive. In
case of homicidal hanging we find traces
of drugs, injury on the body which is firstly
.used to incapacitate the person
Accidental hanging cases are also *
frequent
20

21. STRANGULATION
STRANGULATION is a
violent form of death,
which results from
constricting the neck
by means of a ligature
or any other means
without suspending
.the body
21

22. TYPES OF STRANGULATION
THROTTLING: when constriction is produced by . 1
.the pressure of the fingers and the palms
GARROTING: loop of thin string thrown from . 2
.back and tightened
BANSDOLA: neck compressed between two . 3
.bamboo sticks
MUGGING: pressure upon neck by arm around. 4
.the throat
22

23. LIGATURE STRANGULATION
The pressure upon the neck may be *
effected by compressing whole or a part of
.the circumference of neck by a ligature
CAUSE OF DEATH
VAGAL INHIBITION*
VENOUS CONSTRICTION*
RESPIRATORY OBSTRUCTION*
23

24. 24
GAROTTING THROTTLING

25. GENERAL FINDINGS
.Face is swollen and blotchy*
.Eyes usually suffused and bulging*
Tongue is swollen, protruding and caught *
.between teeth
Ligature mark which commonly depends upon *
the size, type, form, etc. of the ligature. The
. thinner the ligature more deep will be the mark
25

26. INTERNAL FINDINGS
Bruising of the soft tissue of neck and *
muscles specially underneath the ligature
.mark
.Injuries to blood vessels are rare in this*
Injuries to hyoid bone are not commonly *
.seen
.Thyroid cartilages are found fractured*
26

27. MANUAL STRANGUALTION
((THROTTLING
Catching or grasping of neck at the *
.location of carotid sinus, by the hand
This cause sudden CARDIAC ARESST *
.due to vaso vagal inhibition
. THE DEATH IS SUDDEN IN THIS CASE**
27

28. GENERAL FINDINGS
CUTANEOUS ABRASIONS*
CUTANEOUS BRUISING*
BRUISING INTO LARGE STRUCTURES *
OF NECK
INJURIES TO HYOID BONE AND *
LARYNX
28

29. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
SUICIDAL: It is possible to strangle *
oneself
.by ligature
ACCIDENTAL: In case of infants at time of *
birth. Children may strangled while
playing. While working near a machine
.one can strangled
HOMICIDAL: Quite common form of *
.murder
29

30. DROWNING
It is a form of death in which the *
atmospheric air is prevented from entering
the lung by submersion of body in water or
.any other liquid completely or partially
The main cause of death is VASO VAGAL *
INHIBITION resulting in sudden cardiac
. arrest and ASPHYXIA
30

31. TYPES OF DROWNING
WET DROWNING. 1
In salt water *
In fresh water *
DRY DROWNING. 2
SECONDARY . 3
DROWNING
COLD WATER . 4
DROWNING
31

32. WHETHER IT IS HOMICIDAL,
SUICIDAL OR ACCIDENTAL
SUICIDAL : Most commonly used by *
Indian females. Sometimes the person
committing suicide tie his/her hand before
jumping. In these types of cases position
.of knot plays an important role
HOMICIDAL : It is rare except in cases of *
children, infants and person under the
.effect of any drug
.ACCIDENTAL : very common*
32

33. REFERENCES
Modi, J.K. (1993) : Medical jurisprudence and toxicology, *
. N.M. Tripathi Pvt. Ltd
Krishan Vij (2001) : Textbook of Forensic Medicine, B.I. *
.Churchill Livingstone Pvt. Ltd
H.W.V Cox (1998) : Medical Jurisprudence and *
.Toxicology, L.R. Bagga Pvt. Ltd
C.K. Parikh (1990) : Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, *
Forensic Medicine and
.Toxicology, CBS Publishers
www.en.wikepedia.org/wiki/drowning*
www.sonictr.deviant art.com/art/solid-snake-smothering*
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