Decomposing Anna Nicole Smith

AliceInWonderland · February 26th, 2007, 05:27 PM

Gawd I love Tmz.com; they really get to the bottom of things with no sugar-coating!

Quote:

Decomposing Anna
Posted Feb 26th 2007 1:29PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Wacky and Weird, Anna Nicole Smith

So it looks like we know what's going to happen to Anna Nicole Smith's body -- it's going to the Bahamas. But what's really going on with Anna Nicole's body -- as in, a body that's been deceased since February 8. (Warning: this can get a little grisly, so avoid ingesting within a couple hours of eating.)

TMZ got the details of decomposition from three prominent forensic scientists, including Dr. Arpad Vass of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a frequent consultant for police department nationwide, and here's the story.

For the first few days after you stop breathing and your blood stops flowing, your body's cells still think they're alive, and start to digest themselves from the inside, though your brain cells typically die within three to seven minutes after you do. Your skin, as it begins to get ingested by enzymes, begins to slough, slip, and shrink, causing sheets of skin to fall away; it's this shrinkage that explains the myth that your hair and nails continue to grow after death.

This is when things really get ugly, about four to six days after death. In what's known as putrefaction, bacteria begin to break down your body's tissues. The pancreas quickly digests itself, the gases in your abdomen start to blow up, causing green, blue and black colorations on the surface, and swelling within. Your tongue may shoot out of your mouth, and your body will begin to explode with sulphuric (i.e., really rotten egg-like) smells.

But here's the good news for Anna -- embalming will give the body up to a year of relief, especially if done well, with synthetic fluids. Dr. Vass tells TMZ that a body embalmed at the highest level of skill could be recognizable for up to two years.

source:Decomposing Anna - TMZ.com w/ an awesome graphic!

I know Eva Peron's embalmed body lasted decades and she died from cancer (which is pretty destructive)! so you never know...

sweetrebel · February 26th, 2007, 05:31 PM

I think that this process can be and is halted with refrigeration. If she had been laying in that hotel room the whole time...

A*O · February 26th, 2007, 05:33 PM

But apart from medical tests, etc why would you WANT to preserve a dead body at all? It's dead - get rid of it.

moomies · February 26th, 2007, 05:33 PM

She wasn't embalmed right away though cuz one funeral home refused sign the confidentiality agreement and didn't wanna do it.

tinasilva · February 26th, 2007, 07:42 PM

This is so so wrong...why hasn't she been buried yet? Like court systems move too slow. Just do the damn paternity test already so we can know who the daddy is then anna nicole smith can be placed in her eternal resting place.

SnuffMaker · February 27th, 2007, 12:55 AM

James Brown just got buried and he's been dead since what? Christmas?

Dean James · February 27th, 2007, 01:01 AM

you know tmz is dying to publish some pics of a rotting Anna Nicole. And then blame it all on 'journalistic integrity' or some other such bull. Give the people what they want?

No thanks!

celeb_2006 · February 27th, 2007, 01:54 AM

Pics will be on our sister site soon, ogrish.com

cheray · February 27th, 2007, 02:40 AM

Ogrish,........ .our sister site? Wow.............Thats a fun site full of gossip and beheadings and other stuff.

Mel1973 · February 27th, 2007, 07:04 AM

Oh come on, how many of us would look at them? I think I would.

CRAZY 'N' NUTS · February 27th, 2007, 07:16 AM

Forget ANS, i'm intrigued on how the body functions after death, but er I will give the demonstration pics a miss

Mel1973 · February 27th, 2007, 07:20 AM

gosh, one time I went to celebrity morgues . com and looked at a bunch of sick shit. But, I'm also fascinated by the forensics and crime scenes and shit like that. There are lots of others here too .. alot of us spend a little time reading up over at crime library .com as well... we've all been desensitized to gore with all the shitty horror movies...

CRAZY 'N' NUTS · February 27th, 2007, 07:24 AM

^^ I envy you, you must have a very stong stomach, meanwhile I would be holding on to my puke

darksithbunny · February 27th, 2007, 08:01 AM

You should go into Forensics, Mel. I have taken 2 classes so far and I think I have had enough. When Anna died a few weeks ago, our teacher decided go back into the discussion on blow flies. It was pretty sick and graphic.

crackho · February 27th, 2007, 09:15 AM

Dead bodies freak me the hell out. I held my cat when he was put to sleep, as I wanted him to be comfortable and he liked me to hold him like a baby.....but humans, no way!