This lecture dealt with the cause, manner, and mechanism of death
The cause of death is that injury or illness that is incompatible with life. A proximate cause is what starts the causal chain, the immediate cause is the final step. If you can prove a causal chain with but-for linkage and follow it all the way back, eventually you will find the proximate cause. In the old “all for the want of a horseshoe nail…” it’s the nail that was the proximate cause. Gee. Wish I’d used that analogy in class
The mechanism of death is how the illness or injury was incompatible with life, how the flow of blood or oxygen (or both) got screwed up
The manner of death is why the cause came to be. Was it natural? Due to the unintentional actions of someone (accident) due to the deliberate actions of oneself (suicide) or another (homicide). Or weren’t you able to determine (undetermined)
