lumbar vertebrae the five vertebrae between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacrum. vertebra magÂ´na the sacrum. odontoid vertebra the second cervical vertebra, or axis. vertebra plaÂ´na a condition of spondylitis in which the body of the vertebra is reduced to a sclerotic disk.
Generally, in the early stages of drowning, very little water enters the lungs: a small amount of water entering the trachea causes a muscular spasm that seals the airway and prevents the passage of both air and water until unconsciousness occurs.
As the body begins to decompose, blood seeps down. through the tissues and settles in lower parts of the body. Red blood cells break down, spilling their contents. Big Idea 2: Rigor Mortis Death Stiffness Rigor mortis starts within 2 hours of death. The stiffness starts in the head and works its way down to the legs.