Is there a good source for how people look after they've died certain ways?

[tamtrible]

Location: not really relevant, but near future, mostly in the western US

Comments

[umlautless]

When the blood stops pumping and parts stop getting oxygen (via blood), that could trigger your fungus to grow.

[tamtrible]

I was hoping for something chemical (like cadaverine or something, I'm not sure how soon that's on the scene), but I may have to go with low oxygen.

[reapermum]

Don't know about chemical changes, but what about temperature? When the core temperature drops to the external temperature growth is no longer inhibited.

[redheadforever]

Not to mention that some folks have an extremely low core temperature to begin with. Might they zombify even faster/more spectacularly or begin while not yet dead?

[tamtrible]

I've actually been musing about what would happen if someone zombifies while still alive. It might... yield interesting results. The zombies have a hive mind, you see, and essentially absorb/take on the memories of their hosts...

[redheadforever]

Not to mention that some folks have an extremely low core temperature to begin with. Might they zombify even faster/more spectacularly or begin while not yet dead?

BTW, if ya wanna see an EXISTING horror fungus, google "cordyceps."

[marycatelli]

Hmmm.

There are four things which enable a doctor to say, "He's dead, Jim," without any doubt.

1. Decapitation
2. Rigor mortis
3. Decomposition
4. Lividity -- the pooling of blood in the lower portions of the body.

First one is right out, but the next two, and possible lividity as well, probably produce changes you could use.

(Sage souls will notice that all four things are something a stone-age hunter could easily diagnose with the naked eye. Ah, the wonders of modern science!)

[tamtrible]

I'm not necessarily looking for 100% "He's dead, Jim". Just something where... if this is present, the person is most likely alive, and if it's absent, they're most likely dead, or vice versa.

[anivad]

No, there's a fifth thing: being Dr. Leonard McCoy and within communication distance of Jim Kirk.

[okaasan59]

Unless someone is asleep when they die, they generally die with eyes open. Also pupils become fixed and dilated almost immediately after death. It's one of my pet peeves that this isn't accurately portrayed on tv and movies but I guess it would be a bit much to ask actors to have their eyes dilated for what usually is a two-second shot.

[tamtrible]

That wouldn't be too much of an issue, they have, essentially, full muscle control, the fungus takes over the nervous system.

[coeli]

Liver failure (whether from overdose, disease, etc.) often causes jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). I'm not sure how apparent that is on a corpse, though. Strangulation leaves the face dark and puffy.

The circumstances a body is in after death will have at least as much effect on appearance as cause of death in many cases: wet vs. dry, temperature, insect and scavenger action, lividity (darkened areas where gravity caused blood to pool, indicating position) etc. These take varying degrees of time to set in.

There are various web sources on forensic medicine but I fear most are likely to be illustrated.

[tamtrible]

Decomp isn't relevant here, basically... what would someone look like, 10 minutes after they died or something, if they died from a heart attack vs liver failure vs malaria vs drowning...

Blood pooling is also not so much an issue, circulation starts again once the fungus takes over, though very slowly (think ~1 heartbeat/minute)

So, dark, puffy face from strangulation, and liver failure leaves you yellow. Check.