Bone marrow
Definition
The fatty and haematopoietic tissue inside long bones such as the femur and tibia. Because it is enclosed in dense cortical bone, diatoms deposited there during ante-mortem hematogenous spread cannot diffuse back out, making it the preferred sampling site especially in decomposed remains.
Related terms
- Acid digestion
- A laboratory preparation step in which concentrated mineral acids are used to destroy all organic tissue in a sample, leaving only acid-resistant...
- Ante-mortem drowning
- Drowning that occurs while the victim is still alive and the cardiopulmonary system is functioning. Active breathing and circulation are prerequisites for...
- Control sample
- A water sample collected from the suspected drowning environment at or shortly after the time of body recovery. Its diatom assemblage is...
- Hematogenous dissemination
- Spread of a substance via the bloodstream. In the diatom test, diatoms aspirated into the lungs during ante-mortem drowning enter pulmonary capillaries...
- Post-mortem immersion
- Placement of a body in water after death. Passive water entry into the upper airways and body cavities can carry diatoms into...
Explained in
- The Diatom Test in Drowning InvestigationThe fatty and haematopoietic tissue inside long bones such as the femur and tibia. Because it is enclosed in dense cortical bone, diatoms deposited there durin...