The Smell / Stench Of Death

[sunsplash1]

Smell of decomposing corpse mistaken for "garbage"
South Australian police are reviewing the actions of officers who did not realise an elderly man had died inside a Marden Housing Trust unit until their fourth visit there.
Police say officers first went to the unit on August 13 - and again on the 20th and 28th - after concerns were raised about the man's welfare. His body was found in the unit on Monday.
The general manager of the Housing Trust, Malcolm Downey, says on the latter two occasions police advised his officers that the smell coming from inside the unit was probably garbage.
Mr Downey says while he is not blaming police, the situation is unfortunate.
"The important thing was that we were taking advice from professionals and acting on that advice," he said.

Last Update: Thursday, September 9, 2004. 3:52pm (AEST)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200409/s1195739.htm

Sadly this sort of thing goes on all 'round the world. What's wrong with our communities? (Not to mention poorly trained and uncaring poice officers...)

 

[OneWingedBird]

There was a similar case in this country last year where a couple of mental health support workers visited a patient without realising she was dead - they said they thought she was ignoring them

 

[Cultjunky]

Silly question, but what does death smell like?

I've smelt something that turned out to be a rotten baby mouse that had got trapped, but I knew it to be a rotten animal, kinda instictively. But it wasn't a smell of death, as such. More just dodgy meat, that's beem in the fridge too long.

But death? I always thought it it would be earthy.

 

[CarlosTheDJ]

Silly question, but what does death smell like?

I've smelt something that turned out to be a rotten baby mouse that had got trapped, but I knew it to be a rotten animal, kinda instictively. But it wasn't a smell of death, as such. More just dodgy meat, that's beem in the fridge too long.

But death? I always thought it it would be earthy.

It's a sickly-sweet smell that literally permeates everywhere. It sticks in your nose for hours and hours afterwards. People I know who deal with corpses regularly for work usually keep a tub on Vick's handy to smear under their noses to keep it out. One guy has a dog and two cats...they won't go near him for a couple of days after he's been at a death scene.

 

[Cultjunky]

Eeewww