[Estimation of the immersion time in drowned corpses a further study on the reliability of the table of Reh].

Estimation of the time of immersion is a common problem in forensic medicine. In Germany since about 50 years a table for estimating the minimum time interval of immersion is used. This table was developed taking into account signs of progressive putrefaction and maceration and the monthly average water temperature. The reliability of this table was already checked some years ago. In the study presented, 33 further cases were evaluated. When the average monthly water temperatures used in the table are compared to the actual values, the temperatures in the river Rhine have risen during the last 40 years. Therefore, always the actual water temperature has to be measured and to be taken into consideration for the estimation of immersion time. Since there may be also fluctuations of the monthly water temperatures in cases of longer lasting immersion, a temperature profile has to be taken and the mean water temperature has to be calculated. Besides, the table of Reh should be adapted to the increased water temperatures.