A fisherman who drowned in a river is recovered 6 hours later. His right hand is firmly clenched around a clump of river weeds, and the grip cannot be broken even by considerable force. This finding is best explained by:

• A Rigor mortis involving the flexor muscles of the hand
• B Cadaveric spasm ✓
• C Heat stiffening secondary to warm water immersion
• D Gas stiffening from early putrefaction

Explanation

Cadaveric spasm is a state of muscular contraction occurring at the instant of death, without any preceding stage of primary muscular flaccidity. It affects a group of muscles that were in voluntary contraction at death, such as the hand gripping weeds or a weapon, and it cannot be reproduced artificially. Ordinary rigor mortis always follows a period of flaccidity and would not selectively fix only the gripping muscles while the rest of the body remains limp.

Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.