Drowning in a bathtub

MonaLeigh · Aug 28, 2007

I have read that "Corpses in water always lie with the face down and with the head hanging." (dept. of forensic Medicine, U of Dundee) Would anyone know if this is true in a bathtub? If a person drowns facing up, would the body turn over? This would be a big, deep claw-foot-type tub, if it matters. Thanks.

JoNightshade · Aug 28, 2007

lakewriter said:
I have read that "Corpses in water always lie with the face down and with the head hanging." (dept. of forensic Medicine, U of Dundee) Would anyone know if this is true in a bathtub? If a person drowns facing up, would the body turn over? This would be a big, deep claw-foot-type tub, if it matters. Thanks.

If it's a child, maybe, but methinks this would be a bit difficult if it were an adult. I mean, do you find it easy to flop over in a bathtub? Would the character in your novel? If the answer is no, then that's what happens.

MonaLeigh · Aug 28, 2007

That's what I thought, too. But I didnt' want to test it myself.

It makes more sense for that to happen in a lake or pool.

Soccer Mom · Aug 28, 2007

Sad but true story: I have a friend whose fiancee drowned in the bathtub during an epileptic seizure. She found him face up, but sort of half-turned onto his side.

ETA: So that I don't bum anyone out too much, she found love again, married and has a child now. This was a good decade ago.

MonaLeigh · Aug 28, 2007

Soccer Mom said:
Sad but true story: I have a friend whose fiancee drowned in the bathtub during an epileptic seizure. She found him face up, but sort of half-turned onto his side.

ETA: So that I don't bum anyone out too much, she found love again, married and has a child now. This was a good decade ago.

Sad story. I'm glad your friend is happy now

Thank you.

rpl · Aug 28, 2007

Here's a case where a drowning victim was found floating on her back.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/e...med.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus

JoniBGoode · Aug 31, 2007

lakewriter said:
That's what I thought, too. But I didnt' want to test it myself. It makes more sense for that to happen in a lake or pool.

I admire your dedication to research, but drowning yourself does seem a bit much. Even if you had someone take photos so you had a definitive answer, how would you finish the novel? Even worse...how would you collect royalties?

Soccer Mom · Aug 31, 2007

rpl said:
Here's a case where a drowning victim was found floating on her back.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/e...med.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus

Wow. Interesting link. I had no idea it was that common for epileptics to die that way.

frimble3 · Sep 1, 2007

lakewriter said:
I have read that "Corpses in water always lie with the face down and with the head hanging." (dept. of forensic Medicine, U of Dundee) Would anyone know if this is true in a bathtub? If a person drowns facing up, would the body turn over? This would be a big, deep claw-foot-type tub, if it matters. Thanks.

I think the face-down, head hanging posture is due to flotation in a large body of water, the weight of the body pulling the chest, abdomen and heavy head face down, while the lungs keep the body from sinking. If the body died in a bathtub, there probably wouldn't be room for the body to turn over, but if it was a short body and a long tub, the unsupported head might well sink down, towards the back. Tubs can be tricky. There was a case in Britian years back, 'The Brides in the Bath Murderer' (Google http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Joseph_Smith) the police suspected a man of drowning a series of wives in bathtubs. They drowned face up, but apparently it was simple to do if you knew the method.

MonaLeigh · Sep 4, 2007

frimble3 said:
I think the face-down, head hanging posture is due to flotation in a large body of water, the weight of the body pulling the chest, abdomen and heavy head face down, while the lungs keep the body from sinking. If the body died in a bathtub, there probably wouldn't be room for the body to turn over, but if it was a short body and a long tub, the unsupported head might well sink down, towards the back. Tubs can be tricky. There was a case in Britian years back, 'The Brides in the Bath Murderer' (Google http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Joseph_Smith) the police suspected a man of drowning a series of wives in bathtubs. They drowned face up, but apparently it was simple to do if you knew the method.

Thanks. I've actually been reading up on the Brides in the Bath murders. Very interesting stuff.

CoriSCapnSkip · Sep 6, 2007

In the famous case of Jean Clemens http://www.twainquotes.com/19091225.html the attending physician said two other epileptics had died that way. If you search Jean Clemens, maybe some source tells whether she was face up or face down--but people usually sit in a bathtub, and she's said to have just slipped under.

Drowning in a bathtub

MonaLeigh

Wasting time

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

MonaLeigh

Wasting time

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

MonaLeigh

Wasting time

rpl

JoniBGoode

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

MonaLeigh

Wasting time

CoriSCapnSkip

New kid, be gentle!