Question

You see a dead squirrel in your yard. You do not know if it was electrocuted (source AC) or hit by lightning (source DC). Is there any way to find out (after performing autopsy on it) whether it was AC or DC which caused its death. Explain

Answer 1

in electrocution the most number of death are due to ventricular fibrilation and even short duration exposure of electric current can cause disturbance of av node . It happens only in ac current not in dc current,you will find alot of findings in dc current.

you may not find any of externnal finding in ac current electrocution ,then you have to look for cardic mucle findings. only on microscopy you can find some changes in myocardium and conduction system.

Finding from dc-

• Lightning is a naturally high voltage form of direct current(dc)
• Once lightning strikes to the body of the animal , the lightning blast could throw the animal several feet away from the site of initial impact
• Fern-like skin lesions may develop on the body of animal because the thermoelectric energy causes discoloration of the cutaneous blood vessels

Finding from ac-

• low voltage electrocutions may leave little, if any injuries on the body of animal.
• Death:The death of animal us primarily due to cardiac arrhythmia (ventricular fibrillation)
• obvious charring on the body of animal is common in high voltage deaths
• Death: organ of animal damage related to thermal energy released into the body