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Black cracks: staining of fracture lines

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Abstract

During the investigation of fresh bone fractures, it might be difficult to visualize all the fracture lines that could contribute to the interpretation of the biomechanics behind a fracture. To optimize the examination of the fracture, the bones should first be defleshed to expose the osseous surface. To reveal small fracture lines more clearly, we developed two easy, fast, cheap and non-destructive methods to enhance fracture lines and bone defects by coloring the fracture lines with ink. One method consists of cooking the bone in ink, and the second method uses capillary action for ink penetration. We strongly recommend the use of the latter method with Talens® Black Indian Ink for the clearest results.

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Notes

  1. Definition ‘Capillary action’ according to the Environmental Engineering Dictionary: the means by which liquid moves through porous spaces in a solid due to forces of adhesion, cohesion and surface action. [10]

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Hannah McGlynn for English language revision of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forensic Anthropology Unit, Institut de Medicina Legal i Ciènces Forenses de Catalunya (IMLCFC), Ciutat de la Justícia, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 111 Edifici G, 08075, Barcelona, Spain

    Sarah Scheirs & Ignasi Galtés

  2. Biological Anthropology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Vegetal Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Sarah Scheirs & Assumpció Malgosa

  3. Legal Medicine Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Ignasi Galtés

Authors
  1. Sarah Scheirs
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  2. Assumpció Malgosa
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  3. Ignasi Galtés
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Correspondence to Ignasi Galtés.

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Scheirs, S., Malgosa, A. & Galtés, I. Black cracks: staining of fracture lines. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 13, 379–382 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-017-9886-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-017-9886-1

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