Life after death: how possible is it? How a man decomposes in a coffin. The corpses smell great

Death is a taboo subject for the vast majority normal people. The end of the road frightens us so much that we have created countless religions and beliefs designed to console, reassure, encourage...

Unable to accept a final verdict, people cannot completely eliminate death from their thoughts. The wisest thing, of course, is to take into account the brilliant saying of Epicurus. The Stoic quite reasonably remarked: “While I am here, there is no death, and when it comes, I will no longer be.” But stoicism is for the few. For everyone else, we decided to write a short, medically based guide to what happens to our bodies after we die.

Almost immediately after the moment of death, the body starts several irreversible processes. It all starts with autolysis, roughly speaking, self-digestion. The heart no longer saturates the blood with oxygen - the cells suffer from the same deficiency. All by-products chemical reactions do not receive the usual method of disposal, accumulating in the body. The liver and brain are the first to be used up. The first because this is where most enzymes are located, the second because it contains a large number of water.

Color of the skin

Then comes the turn of other organs. The vessels are already destroyed, so the blood, under the influence of gravity, goes down. The person's skin becomes deathly pale. This is exactly how mass culture represents the dead: remember pale vampires and zombies attacking defenseless beauties from dark corners. If the directors tried to make the picture more believable, they would have to show that the rear of the dead aggressor is dark from accumulated blood.

Temperature in the ward

Nothing functions and the body temperature begins to gradually decrease. Cells do not receive the usual dose of energy, protein threads become immobile. Joints and muscles acquire a new property - they become rigid. Then rigor mortis sets in. The eyelids, jaws and neck muscles give in at the very beginning, then everything else comes.

Who lives in the house

There is no longer a person in the dead body, but there is a completely new, corpse ecosystem. Actually, most of the bacteria that make it up lived in the body before. But now they begin to behave differently, in accordance with the changed conditions. We can say that life continues in our body - but our consciousness no longer has anything to do with it.

Molecular death

The decomposition of the human body is an unpleasant sight for most normal (and still living) individuals. Soft tissues break down into salts, liquids and gases. Everything is almost like in physics. This process is called molecular death. At this stage, the decomposition bacteria continue their work.

Unpleasant details

The gas pressure in the body increases. Blisters appear on the skin as the gas tries to escape. Whole flaps of skin begin to slide off the body. Usually, all accumulated decomposition products find a natural way out - the anus and other openings. Sometimes the gas pressure increases so much that it simply ruptures the former person’s stomach.

Return to roots

But even this is not the end of the process. A dead body lying on the bare ground literally returns to nature. Its liquids flow into the soil, and insects spread bacteria around. Criminologists have special term: “island of cadaveric decomposition.” He describes a patch of soil generously, um, fertilized with a dead body.

The topic of what happens to the human body after death is fraught with a lot of interesting facts, shrouded in myths and legends. What actually happens to the body's tissues when a person dies? And is the process of decomposition so terrible, which, judging by the corresponding photos and videos, is not a sight for the faint of heart.

Stages of death

Death is the natural and inevitable end of the life of any living creature. This process does not happen all at once; it includes a number of successive stages. Death is expressed in the cessation of blood flow, the cessation of the nervous and respiratory systems, and the extinction of mental reactions.

Medicine distinguishes the stages of dying:

It is impossible to determine exactly how long it takes a person to die, since all processes are strictly individual, their duration depends on the reason for the end of life. So, for some, these stages are completed within a few minutes, for others they take long weeks and even months.

What does a corpse look like?

What happens to the body of a deceased person in the first minutes and hours after death is familiar to people who have observed these changes. Appearance the deceased and the transition from one state to another depend on the natural chemical reactions of the body, which continue even after the extinction of vital functions, as well as conditions environment.

Drying

It is observed in previously moistened areas: mucous membranes of the lips, genitals, cornea, as well as places of wounds, abrasions and other skin damage.

The higher the air temperature and the humidity surrounding the corpse, the faster the process. The cornea of ​​the eye becomes cloudy, yellow-brown “Larche spots” appear on the white membranes.

Cadaveric drying allows us to assess the presence of intravital damage to the body.

Rigor

The decrease and subsequent complete disappearance of adenosine triphosphoric acid, a substance formed as a result of metabolic processes, is considered the main reason why the body of the deceased becomes numb. When internal organs stop functioning, metabolism fades and the concentration of various compounds decreases.

The body takes a pose characterized by the upper limbs bent at the elbows, hips and knee joints- lower and semi-compressed hands. Rigor mortis is recognized as definitive evidence of death.

The active stage begins 2-3 hours after biological death and ends after 48 hours. Processes accelerate when exposed to high temperatures.

At this stage, a decrease in body temperature occurs. How quickly a corpse cools depends on the environment - during the first 6 hours the rate decreases by 1 degree per hour, then by a degree every 1.5-2 hours.

If the deceased is pregnant, a “coffin birth” is possible, when the uterus pushes out the fetus.

Cadaveric spots

They are ordinary hematomas or bruises, as they are clots of dried blood. When biological fluid stops flowing through the vessels, it settles in nearby soft tissues. Under the influence of gravity, it descends to an area closer to the surface on which the body of the deceased or deceased lies.

Thanks to this physical feature, criminologists can determine how a person died, even if the dead body was moved to another place.

Smell

In the first minutes and hours after death, the only unpleasant odors that will emanate from the deceased may be the smell of involuntary bowel movements.

After a few days or hours, if the dead body has not been refrigerated, a characteristic cadaveric or decomposing odor develops. Its reason lies in chemical processes - the rotting of internal organs causes many gases to accumulate in the body: ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and others, which create a characteristic “aroma”.

Facial changes

Loss of muscle tone and relaxation are the reasons for the disappearance of fine wrinkles from the skin, while deep ones are less visible.

The face takes on a neutral expression, similar to a mask - traces of pain and torment or joyful bliss disappear, the deceased looks calm and peaceful.

Sexual arousal

Erection in men - common occurrence in the first minutes after death. Its occurrence is explained by the law of gravity - blood tends to the lower parts of the body and does not return to the heart, its accumulation occurs in the soft tissues of the body, including the reproductive organ.

Emptying the bowel and bladder

Natural biological processes arise due to loss of tone in the muscles of the body. As a result, the sphincter and urethra relax. It is clear that such a phenomenon requires one of the very first and obligatory rituals of the deceased - ablution.

Weight

In the course of many medical studies, it was possible to establish that a person’s weight changes immediately after death - the corpse weighs 21 grams less. There is no scientific explanation for this, so it is generally accepted that this is the weight of the soul of the deceased, which left the mortal body for eternal life.

How the body decomposes

The body continues to decompose for many years after death, but these stages mainly occur after the funeral and are not accessible to attention ordinary people. However, thanks to medical research, all stages of decomposition are described in detail in specialized literature, which makes it possible to imagine what a decomposing corpse looks like a month or years after death.

Like the stages of death, each deceased person has decomposition processes individual characteristics and depend on the factors leading to death.

Autolysis (Self-absorption)

Decomposition begins within the first minutes after the soul leaves the body, but the process becomes noticeable only after a few hours. Moreover, the higher the ambient temperature and humidity in it, the faster these changes occur.

The first stage is drying. Thin layers of the epidermis are exposed to it: mucous membranes, eyeballs, fingertips and others. The skin of these areas turns yellow and thins, then thickens and becomes like parchment paper.

The second stage is direct autolysis. It is characterized by the breakdown of cells of internal organs caused by the activation of their own enzymes. At this stage, the tissues become soft and liquid, which is why the expression “the corpse is dripping.”

The organs that produce these enzymes and therefore have the largest reserves are the first to undergo changes:

• kidneys;
• adrenal glands;
• pancreas;
• liver;
• spleen;
• organs of the digestive system.

It is difficult to predict how long it will take to complete the autolysis cycle. It depends:

• on the temperature at which the corpse is stored - the lower it is, the longer it takes for the tissues to digest themselves;
• on the amount of pathogenic microflora that is involved in the process of absorption of body cells.

Rotting

This is the late post-mortem stage of decomposition, occurring on average after three days and lasting quite a long time. It is from this moment that a specific corpse smell arises, and the body itself swells from the putrefactive gases overflowing it.

If human remains have not been buried, and the temperature surrounding them is high, the corpse rots quite quickly - after 3-4 months only the skeleton remains. Cold can slow down these processes, and freezing can stop them. The simple answer to the question is where do such rotten masses go - they are absorbed into the soil, which subsequently makes it fertile.

Smoldering

Putrefactive processes are characteristic of corpses in the grave and occur without the participation of oxygen. Remains that have to decompose on the surface of the earth are subject to another biological process - decay. Moreover, such decomposition occurs faster, since there are fewer chemical compounds in the tissues and at the same time they are less toxic than those that fill a corpse rotting underground.

The reason for the differences is simple - under the influence of oxygen, water evaporates faster from tissues and conditions arise for the growth of mold and the development of invertebrates, which literally “eat away” soft fabrics, causing the decomposed corpse to become a pure skeleton.

Saponification

This process is typical for remains buried in soil with high humidity, in water, and in places where there is no access to oxygen. This leads to detachment of the skin (maceration), moisture penetrates the body and washes blood and a number of various substances, after which saponification of fats occurs. As a result of chemical reactions, special soaps are formed, which form the basis of fat wax - a solid mass, both similar to soap and cottage cheese.

Fat wax acts on the principle of a preservative: although such corpses do not have internal organs (they are more like a slimy shapeless mass), the appearance of the body is preserved almost completely.

It easily reveals traces of injuries and damage that led to death: opening of veins, gunshot wounds, strangulation and others. It is for this feature that saponification is valued by those who work in forensic medical examination bodies - pathologists and criminologists.

Mummification

At its core, it is the drying out of human remains. For the process to proceed correctly and fully, a dry environment is required, heat And good ventilation corpse.

At the end of mummification, which can last from several weeks in children and up to six months in adults, body height and weight decrease, soft tissues become dense and wrinkled (which indicates a lack of moisture in them), and the skin acquires a brownish-brown tint.

Activities of living organisms

The body of each person is inhabited by several million microorganisms, the vital activity of which does not depend on whether he is alive or not. After the cessation of biological processes in the body, the immune defense also disappears, making it easier for fungi, bacteria and other flora to move through the internal organs.

This activity allows the self-absorption process to proceed faster, especially if environmental conditions are favorable for their growth.

Corpse sounds

These phenomena are characteristic of remains that have entered the stage of decay, as they arise as a result of the release of gases filling the body, and these are formed under the influence of the activity of microorganisms.

In the first days after death, the sphincter and trachea usually become the pathways for the release of volatile substances, so the deceased is characterized by the presence of wheezing, whistles and groans, which serve as a reason for the creation of terrible myths.

Bloating

Another phenomenon caused by the accumulation of volatile compounds and decomposing internal organs. Since most gases accumulate in the intestines, it is the stomach that swells first, and only after that the process spreads to the rest of the members.

The skin loses color, becomes covered in blisters, and the rotted insides in the form of a jelly-like liquid begin to leak from the natural orifices of the body.

Hair and nails

There is an opinion that keratinized integuments continue to grow even after the completion of biological processes. And although it is erroneous, it is impossible to say that their length does not increase. The fact is that during drying - the very first stage of decomposition, the skin becomes noticeably thinner and the root of the hair or nail is pulled out and exposed, which creates a deceptive impression of growth.

Bones

Bone tissue is the strongest and least susceptible to destruction part of the human body. Bones don't decompose long years, do not rot or decay - even the smallest and thinnest of them take centuries to turn into dust.

Skeletonization of a corpse in a coffin takes up to 30 years, in the ground it happens faster (in 2-4 years). Large and wide bones remain virtually unchanged.

Fertilizing the soil

During the process of decomposition, several thousand are released from the remains of living matter. useful components, minerals, micro- and macroelements, chemical and biological compounds that are absorbed into the soil and become an excellent fertilizer for it.

The process has a positive impact on the overall ecological system region where the cemeteries are located explains the custom of some ancient tribes of burying the dead at the edges of pastures and vegetable gardens.

What happens to the deceased after death

If the physiological and biological components of death are described in some detail both in specialized medical literature and by individuals interested in the occult, who love corpses and are interested in them various conditions, then the question of the soul or vital energy, the wandering mind, subsequent reincarnation and other phenomena have not been fully explored.

Not a single living person has found answers to the questions of whether there is life after death, what a dying or already dead person feels, how real the other world is.

In any case, the body of the deceased must undergo its special ritual, and his soul is remembered by his family and friends. The first commemoration is held 9 days later, or no later than 10 days from the moment of death, again - on the 40th day, and the third - on the anniversary of the death.

After 40 days

Analysis of remains, including those from a hidden grave, can help determine the date of a person's death. For example, studies have shown that the maximum concentration of phospholipids in the fluid flowing from the body is observed 40 days after death, and nitrogen and phosphorus - after 72 and 100 days, respectively.

After 60 days, the corpse begins to crumble if buried in wet soil, acquires a whitish-yellow color. Staying the body in peat soil and swamp makes the skin dense and rough, bones become soft over time, resembling cartilage tissue.

According to Orthodox beliefs, in 40 days the soul of the deceased ends his earthly ordeal and goes to the afterlife.

What it will be will be decided by the Supreme Court, not the last argument of which will be the fact of how the burial was carried out. So, before burying the coffin, a service is read over the deceased, during which the remission of all his earthly sins occurs.

In a year

At this time, the processes of decomposition of the body continue: the remaining soft tissues, exposing the skeleton. It is typical that a year after death the cadaveric smell is no longer present. This means that the rotting process is complete. The remains of tissues smolder, releasing nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

During this period, the presence of tendons, dry and dense areas of the body can still be observed. Next, a long process of mineralization will begin (up to 30 years), as a result of which the person will be left with bones that are not connected to each other.

The year in Orthodoxy is marked by the final transition of the soul of the deceased to Heaven or Hell and union with previously deceased relatives and friends. It is the first anniversary that is considered the new birth of the soul for eternal life, so the wake is held surrounded by close relatives and all the people dear to the deceased.

Burial methods

Each religion has its own canons and customs, according to which ceremonies of veneration and remembrance of the deceased are held on certain days, as well as the peculiarities of burying the body.

Thus, in Christianity, it is customary to bury the dead in a coffin or immerse them in crypts; in Islam, they wrap them in a shroud and place them in damp earth; in Hinduism and Buddhism, the dead are burned, because they believe that the soul can be reborn and return in a new body, and in Some Indian tribes still maintain the custom of eating the dead.

The list of methods is long, including Lately There are also quite unusual ones: dissolving the body in special chemical compounds or hanging it in the air for mummification. But two are most popular in our country: burial in a coffin and cremation.

Few even religious people know why they bury dead people in coffins. According to beliefs, the very concept of “deceased” or “deceased” means one who has fallen asleep, resting, that is, one who temporarily rests in anticipation of the re-coming of Christ and the subsequent resurrection.

That is why the body of the deceased is placed in a coffin, which is designed to preserve it until the Second Coming. The key features are placing a pillow under the head and placing it in the ground facing east, as this is where the Savior will appear.

If we consider the burial process from a biological point of view, wooden box, in which the deceased is placed is also considered natural material, and when the coffin rots, additional fertilizer is formed, improving the ecosystem.

Cremation is a process called burning a body. It is widespread because it has several advantages:

• saving space, since the urn with ashes takes up less space than a coffin;
• costs for cremation are lower than for a classic funeral;
• If the urn with the ashes of the deceased is placed at home, then a place in the cemetery is not required.

The only caveat is to hope for the subsequent Resurrection and acquisition Eternal life In Orthodoxy, such dead people should not live, since the church does not welcome and even condemns cremation.

Another actual question- After how many days are the dead buried? Everything here is individual and depends on the causes and circumstances of the death itself. If law enforcement agencies have no questions about the occurrence of a fatal outcome, it is better to carry out the burial on the second day after death, since decay processes begin later, the corpse turns black or blue, becomes covered in spots, and smells bad.

If burial is temporarily impossible for some reason, the body should be placed in the cold. Thus, a special temperature in the morgue and treatment of the corpse with appropriate chemicals will help keep it in optimal condition. for a long time. Some relatives try to stop the decomposition by using dry ice or placing the deceased in the cold, which can be done, but only if the funeral is postponed for 1-2 days.

In some cases, most often requiring additional forensic research or reburial, the corpse is exhumed.

The removal of the body is usually carried out with special permission and compliance Orthodox customs and canons. Exhumed bodies are quickly redirected to the morgue or to a subsequent burial site

Many of our body's functions continue to function for minutes, hours, days, and even weeks after death. It's hard to believe, but incredible things happen to our body.

If you are ready for hard-hitting details, then this information is for you.

1. Nail and hair growth

This is more of a technical feature than an actual feature. The body no longer produces hair or nail tissue, but both continue to grow for several days after death. In fact, the skin loses moisture and pulls back slightly, which reveals more hair and makes your nails appear longer. Since we measure the length of hair and nails from the point where the hair emerges from the skin, it technically means that they "grow" after death.

2. Brain activity

One of the side effects modern technology is the erasure of time between life and death. The brain may shut down completely, but the heart will still beat. If the heart stops for a minute and there is no breathing, then the person dies, and doctors declare the person dead even when the brain is technically still alive for several minutes. During this time, brain cells try to find oxygen and nutrients to maintain life to such an extent that it most often results in irreparable damage even if the heart is made to beat again. These minutes before complete damage can be extended, with the help of certain medications and under the right circumstances, to several days. Ideally, this would give doctors a chance to save you, but this is not guaranteed.

3. Skin cell growth

This is another function of different parts of our body that declines at different rates. While loss of circulation can kill the brain in minutes, other cells don't need a constant supply. Skin cells that live on the outer layer of our body are accustomed to receiving what they can through a process called osmosis, and can live for several days.

4. Urination

We believe that urination is a voluntary function, although its absence is not a conscious action. In principle, we don’t have to think about this, since a certain part of the brain is responsible for this function. The same area is involved in regulating breathing and heart rate, which explains why people often experience involuntary urination if they get drunk. The fact is that the part of the brain that keeps the urinary sphincter closed is suppressed, and very large amounts of alcohol can turn off the regulation of breathing and heart functions, and therefore alcohol can be really dangerous.

Although rigor mortis causes the muscles to stiffen, this does not happen until several hours after death. Immediately after death, the muscles relax, which causes urination.

5. Defecation

We all know that during times of stress, our body gets rid of waste. Some muscles just relax and an awkward situation occurs. But in the event of death, all this is also facilitated by the gas that is released inside the body. This can happen several hours after death. Considering that the fetus in the womb also performs the act of defecation, we can say that this is the first and last thing that we do in our lives.

6. Digestion

7. Erection and ejaculation

When the heart stops pumping blood throughout the body, the blood collects in the lowest place. Sometimes people die standing, sometimes lying face down, and therefore many people understand where blood can collect. Meanwhile, not all muscles in our body relax. Some types of muscle cells are activated by calcium ions. Once activated, cells expend energy by extracting calcium ions. After death, our membranes become more permeable to calcium and the cells do not expend as much energy to push out the ions and the muscles contract. This leads to post-mortem rigor and even ejaculation.

8. Muscle movements

Although the brain may die, other areas nervous system may be active. Nurses have repeatedly noticed reflex actions in which nerves send a signal to the spinal cord rather than the brain, leading to muscle twitching and spasms after death. There is even evidence of small movements of the chest after death.

9. Vocalization

Essentially, our body is filled with gas and mucus supported by bones. Rotting occurs when bacteria begin to act and the proportion of gases increases. Since most of the bacteria are inside our body, the gas accumulates inside.

Rigor mortis leads to the stiffening of many muscles, including those that work on the vocal cords, and this combination can result in eerie sounds emanating from the dead body. So there is evidence of how people heard the groans and creaks of dead people.

10. Birth of a child

It's a terrible scene to imagine, but there were times when women died during pregnancy and were not buried, leading to the coining of a term called "posthumous fetal expulsion." Gases accumulating inside the body, combined with softening of the flesh, lead to expulsion of the fetus.

Although such cases are very rare and the subject of much speculation, they have been documented in the period before proper embalming and rapid burial. This all sounds like something out of a horror movie, but these things really do happen, and it makes us Once again be glad that we live in the modern world.

What happens in the coffin after death

Officially, it takes 15 years for a body to completely decompose in a coffin. However, re-burial is allowed after approximately 11-13 years after the first. It is believed that during this time both the deceased and his final resting place will completely decompose, and the earth can be reused.

Immediately after death, self-digestion of human internal organs and tissues begins. And with it, after some time, rotting. Before a funeral, processes are slowed down by embalming or refrigerating the body to make the person appear more presentable. But underground there are no longer any restraining factors. And decomposition destroys the body in full swing. As a result, all that remains is bones and chemical compounds: gases, salts and liquids.

In fact, a corpse is a complex ecosystem. It is a habitat and breeding ground for a large number of microorganisms. The system develops and grows as its habitat decomposes. Immunity turns off soon after death - and germs and microorganisms populate all tissues and organs. They feed on cadaveric fluids and provoke further development rotting. Over time, all tissues completely rot or decay, leaving a bare skeleton. But it too may soon collapse, leaving only individual, especially strong bones.

What happens in the coffin after a year

After a year has passed after death, the process of decomposition of residual soft tissue sometimes continues. Often, when excavating graves, it is noted that after a year after death, the cadaveric smell is no longer present - the rotting is complete. And the remaining tissues either slowly smolder, releasing mainly nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, or there is simply nothing left to smolder. Because only the skeleton remained.

Skeletonization is the stage of decomposition of the body when only one skeleton remains. What happens to the deceased in the coffin about a year after death. Sometimes some tendons or particularly dense and dry areas of the body may still remain. Next will be the process of mineralization. It can last for a very long time - up to 30 years. Whatever remains of the deceased’s body will lose all “extra” minerals. As a result, what remains of a person is an unfastened pile of bones. The skeleton falls apart because the joint capsules, muscles and tendons that hold the bones together no longer exist. And it can remain in this form for an unlimited amount of time. At the same time, the bones become very fragile.

What happens to the coffin after burial?

Most modern coffins are made from ordinary pine boards. Such material is short-lived in conditions of constant humidity and will last in the ground for a couple of years. After that, he turns into dust and fails. Therefore, when digging up old graves, it’s good to find several rotten boards that were once a coffin. The service life of the final resting place of the deceased can be somewhat extended by varnishing it. Other, harder and more durable types of wood may not rot for a longer period of time. And especially rare, metal coffins are quietly stored in the ground for decades.

As a corpse decomposes, it loses fluid and slowly turns into a collection of substances and minerals. Since a person is 70% water, it needs to go somewhere. She leaves everyone's body possible ways and seeps through the bottom boards into the ground. This obviously does not extend the life of the tree; excess moisture only provokes its rotting.

How a man decomposes in a coffin

During decomposition, the human body necessarily goes through several stages. They can vary in time depending on the burial environment and the condition of the corpse. The processes that occur with the dead in the coffin ultimately leave the body with a bare skeleton.

Most often, the coffin with the deceased is buried after three days from the day of death. This is due not only to customs, but also to simple biology. If after five to seven days the corpse is not buried, then this will have to be done in closed coffin. Because by this time autolysis and decay will have developed en masse, and internal organs will slowly begin to collapse. This can lead to putrefactive emphysema throughout the body, leakage of bloody fluid from the mouth and nose. Now the process can be stopped by embalming the body or keeping it in the refrigerator.

What happens to the corpse in the coffin after burial is reflected in several different processes. Collectively, they are called decomposition, which, in turn, is divided into several stages. Decomposition begins immediately after death. But it begins to manifest itself only after some time, without limiting factors - within a couple of days.

Autolysis

The very first stage of decomposition, which begins almost immediately after death. Autolysis is also called “self-digestion.” Tissues are digested by decay cell membranes and release of enzymes from cellular structures. The most important of these are cathepsins. This process does not depend on any microorganisms and begins independently. Internal organs such as the brain and adrenal medulla, spleen, and pancreas undergo autolysis most quickly, as they contain the largest amount of cathepsin. Somewhat later, all the cells of the body enter into the process. This provokes rigor mortis due to the release of calcium from the intercellular fluid and its combination with troponin. Against this background, actin and myosin combine, which causes muscle contraction. The cycle cannot be completed due to the lack of ATP, so the muscles are fixed and relaxed only after they have begun to decompose.

Autolysis is partly facilitated by various bacteria that spread throughout the body from the intestines, feeding on the fluid flowing from decomposing cells. They literally “spread” throughout the body through the blood vessels. The liver is primarily affected. However, bacteria reach it within the first twenty hours from the moment of death, first promoting autolysis and then rotting.

Rotting

In parallel with autolysis, a little later than its onset, rotting also develops. The rate of decay depends on several factors:

• The state of a person during life.
• Circumstances of his death.
• Soil humidity and temperature.
• Density of clothing.

It begins with the mucous membranes and skin. This process can develop quite early if the soil of the grave is wet, and in the circumstances of death there is blood poisoning. However, it develops more slowly in cold regions or if the corpse contains insufficient moisture. Some strong poisons and thick clothing also help slow it down.

It is noteworthy that many myths about “moaning corpses” are associated specifically with rotting. This is called vocalization. When a corpse decomposes, gas is formed, which primarily occupies the cavities. When the body has not yet rotted, it exits through natural openings. When the gas passes through the vocal cords, which are constrained by stiff muscles, the output is sound. Most often this is a wheezing or something similar to a groan. Rigor rigor most often passes just in time for the funeral, so in rare cases a terrifying sound can be heard from a coffin that has not yet been buried.

What happens to the body in the coffin at this stage begins with the hydrolysis of proteins by proteases of microbes and dead cells of the body. Proteins begin to break down gradually, to polypeptides and below. At the output, free amino acids remain instead. It is as a result of their subsequent transformation that a cadaverous odor arises. At this stage, the growth of mold on the corpse and the colonization of it by maggots and nematodes can speed up the process. They mechanically destroy tissues, thereby accelerating their decay.

The liver, stomach, intestines and spleen are the most susceptible to decomposition in this way, due to the abundance of enzymes in them. In this regard, very often the peritoneum of the deceased bursts. During decay, corpse gas is released, which fills the natural cavities of a person (swells him from the inside). The flesh is gradually destroyed and exposes the bones, turning into a fetid grayish pulp.

The following external manifestations can be considered clear signs of the onset of rotting:

• Greening of the corpse (formation of sulfhemoglobin in the ileal region from hydrogen sulfide and hemoglobin).
• Putrefactive vascular network (blood that does not leave the veins rots, and hemoglobin forms iron sulfide).
• Cadaveric emphysema (the pressure of the gas produced during putrefaction swells the corpse. It can invert the pregnant uterus).
• Glowing of a corpse in the dark (production of hydrogen phosphide, occurs in rare cases).

Smoldering

A corpse decomposes most quickly in the first six months after burial. However, instead of rotting, smoldering may begin - in cases where there is not enough moisture and too much oxygen for the former. But sometimes decay can begin after partial rotting of the corpse.

For it to occur, it is necessary that enough oxygen enters the body and not a lot of moisture enters. With it, the production of corpse gas stops. The release of carbon dioxide begins.

Another way is mummification or saponification

In some cases, rotting and decay do not occur. This may occur due to the processing of the body, its condition, or an environment unfavorable for these processes. What happens to the dead person in the coffin in this case? As a rule, there are two options left: the corpse is either mummified - it dries out so much that it cannot decompose normally, or it is saponified - a fat wax is formed.

Mummification occurs naturally when a corpse is buried in very dry soil. The body is well mummified when there was severe dehydration during life, which was aggravated by cadaveric desiccation after death.

In addition, there is artificial mummification through embalming or other chemical treatment, which can stop decomposition.

Fat wax is the opposite of mummification. It is formed in a very humid environment, when the corpse does not have access to the oxygen necessary for rotting and decay. In this case, the body begins to saponify (otherwise called anaerobic bacterial hydrolysis). The main component of fat wax is ammonia soap. Everything turns into him subcutaneous fat, muscles, skin, mammary glands and brain. Everything else either does not change (bones, nails, hair) or rots.