Ch. 12: Death Terminology

3. one of five ways in which a person’s death is classified (i.e., natural, accidental, suicidal, homicidal, or undetermined)
5. destruction of soft tissue by bacteria that results in the release of waste gases and fluids
7. red spots in the white of the eyes that form due to capillary rupture in blood vessels of the eye
9. a physician who performs autopsies, determines the cause and manner of death, and oversees death investigations
13. the breakdown of once-living matter by living organisms
14. the injury or condition responsible for a person’s death (such as heart attack, kidney failure)
15. cooling of the body after death
16. the pooling of the blood in tissues after death that results in a red skin color
17. an elected official, either a layman or physician, who certifies deaths and can order additional investigations of suspicious deaths

1. the breakdown of cells as they self-digest
2. the specific physiological, physical, or chemical event that stops life
4. a fatty or waxy substance produced during the decomposition of dead bodies exposed to moisture
6. the underlying cause of death that leads to the certification of the death
8. the stiffening of the skeletal muscles after death
10. medical examination to determine the cause of death
11. the type of death investigator that is are medical professionals used to provide evidence on medical and legal issues
12. a medical doctor specifically trained to perform autopsies to determine the presence or absence of disease, injury, or poisoning