National Forensic Doctor -
Chapter 337 - 337 304 Temperature
337: Chapter 304 Temperature 337: Chapter 304 Temperature “I received the message at one o’clock and arrived before two, and then I measured the rectal temperature.
34.5 degrees Celsius.”
Ye Tianhe didn’t beat around the bush, and directly brought out the data that was measured later.
To determine the approximate time of death is relatively easy, but to reach an accurate conclusion, especially a precise one, is extremely difficult.
Just the rectal temperature alone involves very complex content.
In ’84, the ministry organized a research group on body temperature, which studied the rectal temperature data of 581 bodies in temperatures ranging from 0 to 30 degrees Celsius, and ultimately derived 27 ternary regression equations.
Many subsequent body temperature studies in China were actually based on this one, as it was incredibly hard for later researchers to work with 500 bodies again.
If there were so many bodies available for rectal temperature research, it would be like Sun Wukong immobilizing the Seven Fairy Maidens to steal a peach.
Talking aside, there aren’t many people who can truly remember all 27 of the ternary regression equations.
Usually, people would look them up when needed.
Further speaking, most forensic doctors actually use a simplified version of the regression equation.
Some are even too lazy to use the equations at all, preferring to apply experience-based estimations, such as a decrease of one degree per hour, or maybe 0.8 degrees, with some adjustments for environmental temperature.
So, when Ye Tianhe saw that Jiang Yuan was very serious and confident, he didn’t argue and simply provided the data, letting him do the calculations if he could.
However, Jiang Yuan just made an “Mhm” sound and said, “Rectal temperature is not conclusive.”
It was then that Ye Tianhe remembered Jiang Yuan hadn’t measured the rectal temperature when he came in.
Not measuring rectal temperature and still playing this game of precise time of death determination?
Ye Tianhe also thought of Yu Wenshu, not wanting to be the man sticking his foot out.
But Ye Tianhe had his temper too, and said directly, “Then take the liver temperature.”
Liver temperature is much more accurate than rectal temperature, but it is destructive and requires a cut in the waist area, thus the body is no longer intact.
According to domestic practice, in such cases, one often needs to explain to the family beforehand.
Additionally, these invasive procedures tend to be preferred in the autopsy room rather than at the scene, which compromises their immediacy compared to rectal temperature.
Therefore, unless it is very necessary, people tend to measure rectal temperature instead, which generally suffices.
As for now, without fretting over the time discrepancy, Ye Tianhe directly requested to measure the liver temperature.
Wan Baoming, on the other hand, hesitated a bit, coughed twice, and said, “Let me discuss it with Captain Ma.”
Captain Ma is the squad leader of the second squad of the Criminal Police Brigade, and after confirming it was a homicide, Captain Ma immediately rushed over.
However, since the victim’s husband was the main suspect, Captain Ma did not appear immediately, and everyone proceeded with the investigation pretending it was a suicide, following the killer’s script.
Wan Baoming’s hesitation lay here; asking the husband about measuring liver temperature could easily alert him.
This decision had to be made by Captain Ma, who was in charge on the scene.
With a phone call from Wan Baoming that took less than two minutes, Ma Jiyang, who had changed his clothes, walked in.
“Heard there’s a disagreement about the time?” Ma Jiyang, a rather stout man with long legs, was wearing freshly washed police trousers.
He was taking advantage of the fact that the victim’s family members didn’t know better; otherwise, it would be apparent that his status was that of a man with a competent wife, or that he was the competent wife himself, hardly looking like a grassroots police officer.
Wan Baoming rushed to say, “The time discrepancy isn’t much, just about an hour, but based on Jiang Yuan’s judgment, the victim’s husband has been excluded.”
“That doesn’t necessarily exclude him,” Ma Jiyang said cautiously and quickly deliberating, then asked, “The victim’s husband returned around eleven, close to midnight, right?
Caught on the elevator’s camera.
Jiang Yuan, what do you estimate the time of death to be?”
“A quarter past ten,” said Jiang Yuan.
“That precise?” Ma Jiyang looked towards Jiang Yuan.
His second squad often dealt with murder cases, and in fact, Jiang Yuan had previously solved some cases that he had handled.
Ma Jiyang deeply admired Jiang Yuan for beautifully solving a current case he himself could not crack, which Jiang Yuan later did while it was still a cold case.
So, seeing Jiang Yuan now, Ma Jiyang instinctively trusted him even more.
But Jiang Yuan’s direct citation of an exact time still caught Ma Jiyang off guard.
Jiang Yuan grunted an acknowledgement.
What could he say?
Level 6 was just that impressive, able to provide a precise time of death for homicide cases that occurred within 6 hours.
Ma Jiyang couldn’t wait for an explanation and then thought to himself, what difference would hearing it make?
Out of politeness, Ma Jiyang looked toward Ye Tianhe and even with a bit of warmth, said, “Doctor Ye, what’s your analysis?”
“Between 11 and 12 o’clock.” Ye Tianhe didn’t mention anything about a quarter past ten.
His measurements of the rectal temperature were right there; the state of rigor mortis also matched up with the timeline.
If another competent forensic doctor came along, they’d likely reach a similar conclusion.
Ma Jiyang hummed in acknowledgment and said, “So we’re talking about a difference of just 45 minutes.
As for the victim’s husband not having an alibi… if he took the elevator back after 11 o’clock, it doesn’t rule out that he could have returned at 10 o’clock, or come back after 11…”
Wan Baoming reminded, “We should inquire more carefully about the time the victim’s husband left his workplace.”
“Right, if there was a faked record, then the workplace’s clock-in time could also be tampered with.” Ma Jiyang said, though his expression became much graver.
In an instant, Ma Jiyang smiled again and said, “Right, didn’t you mention that you need to measure the liver temperature?”
“Let’s measure the liver temperature to clarify,” Wan Baoming explained on their behalf.
Ma Jiyang grunted, “Go ahead and measure it, we’re here now.”
“Should we inform the victim’s husband?”
“Don’t.
Just directly measure it.
We’re definitely taking the body back, no need to complicate matters unnecessary.”
Once Ma Jiyang made up his mind, Ye Tianhe and the others didn’t have to fret anymore.
They took out the liver temperature probe and inserted it to take a reading.
“32.1 degrees Celsius,” Ye Tianhe read the temperature and then silently did the math, confirming it supported his own judgment.
So he asked Jiang Yuan, “Doctor Jiang, would you like to measure it?”
“No need, this indicates that the overall body temperature of the corpse is disordered.” Jiang Yuan offered an explanation.
Ye Tianhe, lost for words, replied, “You can’t just declare the temperature of the body is disordered because the liver temperature doesn’t match expectations; you have to consider the evidence.”
“The temperature of the body is only one of the criteria for determining the time of death.
Actually, it’s also the most easily disturbed,” Jiang Yuan said in a somewhat conciliatory tone, and continued, “Postmortem changes, such as muscle postmortem response, changes to the cornea, as well as rigor mortis.
Pay attention to the contraction of the lips…”
Jiang Yuan paused for a moment, then added, “When we do the autopsy, let’s check the digestion of stomach contents, and while we’re at it, conduct a toxicology test…”
Some drugs can affect the changes in body temperature of a corpse, such as antipyretics.
Seeing Jiang Yuan so certain, Ye Tianhe had no choice but to readjust his attitude, saying, “Alright, we’ll see during the autopsy.”
Jiang Yuan’s goal wasn’t to convince him.
Having said this, he didn’t fuss further but stood up to observe the scene.
Ma Jiyang asked, “What are you looking for?”
Jiang Yuan replied, “Actually, such a large discrepancy in determining the time of death based on body temperature is a bit problematic.”
“How so?”
“There are many factors that determine the temperature of a corpse.
Generally speaking, the main ones are environmental temperature, clothing or covering, the carrying body of the corpse, along with ventilation, humidity, gender, age, body size, cause of death, drugs…” Jiang Yuan listed 10 factors in one breath, then continued, “Among these, the latter factors are less likely to change.
The most variable are the first few…”
Listening, Ma Jiyang closed his eyes, tuning into the environment of the crime scene.
Jiang Yuan pondered and said, “If we consider the variables, the bathroom has higher humidity, ventilation with an exhaust fan, there’s also an air system, and the body is suspended…”
Ma Jiyang opened his eyes; the heavy pressure returned in an instant, and he said, “The relationship between the victim and her husband was not very good, and there had been recent arguments.
Moreover, there were significant financial problems between the two, and the victim had insurance… I’ll go confirm this guy’s whereabouts.”
Mentally, Ma Jiyang still felt that the husband was the most suspicious.
However, given Jiang Yuan’s performance these past few days, he was willing to investigate further.
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