More Than Just Autopsies

I always thought that the only thing done at a medical examiner's office were autopsies. I was wrong, and Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Dr. Vern Adams helped to explain why my assumption was so off.

Dr. Adams first explained that the main role of the examiner's office is indeed autopsies. They do not examine every dead body in the county, however. The medical examiners only look at bodies of those who may have died under unusual circumstances, like an act of violence. Even though every body isn't looked at, about 1,500 autopsies took place in 2008, and the right to perform these autopsies is protected by law. Although these autopsies are a major function of the HCMEO, it would be wrong to say that it is their only function.

The HCMEO also has nine investigators in its office. These investigators help determine how the cause of death occurred. Many of them are on scene when a body is found that appears to have died of unnatural causes.

Also, the HCMEO has toxicologists who help to determine what substances were in the body at the time of its death. The medical examiner's office has a large toxicology lab with multiple machines and instruments used in this type of testing. One machine allows toxicologists to see if the body had any drugs in it, as well as how much of the drug was in the person's system. They can also test for things like arsenic and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The HCMEO is also responsible for the proper disposal of unclaimed bodies. Many families cannot afford to bury their loved ones and some of the bodies who come through the office don't even have any family to bury them. Most of these bodies, according to Dr. Adams, are cremated unless they are unidentified.

Also, when a dead body comes into the office that is an organ donor, the medical examiners must remove the organs. These organs are then picked up and given to those who need a transplant.

Finally, the HCMEO is in charge of keeping all of its records on file, many of which are public. Records like autopsy reports, transmittal sheets for all evidence, cause of death, and police reports are all public. Some records, however, are not available to the public. Those include autopsy photos and information regarding bodies that are involved in an ongoing investigation. All medical records are required to be kept by the office for 30 years. All of these records are held in a large room and are color coordinated for a more efficient filing system.

Overall, my trip to the HCMEO was a real shock to me, and that's not just because I happened to see a dead body in the main autopsy room. Dr. Adams showed me just how many functions the office has and just how important the office is to the residents of Hillsborough County.