1. Laboratory Analysis
sent by ME

2. Orders tests to determine cause or manner of death
DNA testing
Fingerprints & palm prints

3. Toxicology Detection of drugs, alcohol, poisons
Gas chrom. to test concentration of alcohol in blood – tested first
Urine – barbiturates or other depressants – immunoassay
Immunoassay = presumptive screening tool for specific chemical – done 1st
Then, confirmatory test – GC-MS – get quantitative results

4. 3rd – GC – for tranquilizers, narcotics, antidepressants, etc.
Then, immunoassay on urine for narcotics
(= opium & opium-derived drugs), cocaine, methadone

5. Histology = study of tissues thinly sliced and stained Stains -
  - eosin & hematoxylin - detect cancers
  - crystal violet - detects bacterial infections (purple)

6. Neuropathology
= study of disease and trauma associated with the nervous system (most often, brain)
more than half of deaths for ME - neuro
neuropathologist often determines cause of death
studies diseased tissues and tumors

7. Serology
= study of blood, semen, & other body fluids in reference to legal matters
 sees if victim died from blood-borne pathogen infection
 may help ID victim or perpetrator
  ex. blood type (class characteristic)
  ex. DNA profile (individual characteristic)