Asphyxial deaths: smothering signs: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Asphyxial deaths: smothering signs

Sample item

An elderly bedridden man is found dead. His face shows small abrasions around the nostrils and bruising on the inner surfaces of the lips with pressure marks from the teeth. The most likely cause of death is:

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Smothering by closure of the nose and mouth

Smothering is closure of the external air passages, the nose and mouth, by a hand or soft object. The lips are pressed against the teeth, causing abrasions and bruises on the inner lips, and the nostrils and cheeks may show nail marks. The neck is normal.

Option by option

  • A. Smothering by closure of the nose and mouth (correct)

    Correct. Injuries at the nose, mouth and inner lips are characteristic of smothering.

  • B. Hanging

    Hanging leaves a ligature mark on the neck.

  • C. Manual strangulation

    Manual strangulation produces neck bruises and a hyoid or laryngeal injury, not lip injury.

  • D. Drowning

    Drowning produces froth and wet lungs, not injuries around the lips.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Smothering by closure of the nose and mouth. Smothering is closure of the external air passages, the nose and mouth, by a hand or soft object.

Why is "Hanging" not the answer?

Hanging leaves a ligature mark on the neck.

Why is "Manual strangulation" not the answer?

Manual strangulation produces neck bruises and a hyoid or laryngeal injury, not lip injury.

Why is "Drowning" not the answer?

Drowning produces froth and wet lungs, not injuries around the lips.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Asphyxial deaths: smothering signs in Forensic Medicine. The lips are pressed against the teeth, causing abrasions and bruises on the inner lips, and the nostrils and cheeks may show nail marks. The neck is normal.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Asphyxial deaths: smothering signs?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.