Can someone explain how the dogs smelt death on Dr McCann and the toy?

Question

If its on her clothes, I dont think she would wear the things to work that she does on holiday..

Answer 1

Totally agree with you Tina.

It was reported Kate said she has been in contact with 6 dead pepole the week before she came on hols hence why the smelt it on her but as her job as a GP for 1 1/2 days a week would you really come into contact with 6 dead people in 1 1/2 days as a gp??? I dont reckon so!?!?

And as you said why would you wear your work clothes on hols?!?!?

Also i thought cuddle cat was Maddies hence why she has been carrying it everywhere. Is that not the case then is it Kate's then???

Answer 2

Guess it would depend on the tempature of the bodies she saw, since cavader dogs base the scent on gases. Take a read below, seems 24 hours (in the height of summer, I guess this would mean body being outside) is about the normal time dead bodies start to give off gases in the u.k. Tempature plays a big part , the conditions, also the cause of death can play a part as well. I have provided the link for anyone that want to read more. I do not know about how long this would stay in clothes or skin after being washed numerous times(before holiday and during) before the dogs could not smell it. I guess that would need to be answered as well.

The link is in pdf.

Clip:

Environmental temperature has a very great influence on the rate of
development of putrefaction so that rapid cooling of the body following a sudden death
will markedly delay its onset. In the temperate climate of the United Kingdom the degree
of putrefaction reached after 24 hours in the height of summer may require 10 to 14 days
in the depth of winter. A high environmental humidity will enhance putrefaction.
Putrefaction is optimal at temperatures ranging between 70-100oF (21-38oC) and is
retarded when the temperature falls below 50oF (10oC) or when it exceeds 100oF
(38oC). (Ref. 10 at p. 20).
The rate of putrefaction is influenced by the bodily habitus of the decedent; obese
individuals putrefy more rapidly than those who are lean. Putrefaction will be delayed in
deaths from exsanguination because blood provides a channel for the spread of
putrefactive organisms within the body. Conversely, putrefaction is more rapid in
persons dying with widespread infection, congestive cardiac failure or anasarca.
Putrefaction is accelerated when the tissues are oedematous, e.g. in deaths from
congestive cardiac failure, and delayed when the tissues are dehydrated. It tends to be
more rapid in children than in adults, but the onset is relatively slow in unfed new-born
infants because of the lack of commensal bacteria. Whereas warm temperatures enhance
putrefaction, intense heat produces "heat fixation" of tissues and inactivates autolytic
enzymes with a resultant delay in the onset and course of decomposition. Heavy clothing
and other coverings, by retaining body heat, will speed up putrefaction. Rapid
putrefactive changes may been seen in corpses left in a room which is well heated, or in
a bed with an electric blanket. Injuries to the body surface promote putrefaction by
providing portals of entry for bacteria and the associated blood provides an excellent
medium for bacterial growth.

Answer 3

Pronouncing death does not mean Kate McCann would have been handling bodies enough to transfer body fluids onto either her clothing or her person. Latex gloves would prevent transfer to her hands, and alcohol wipes would clean her stethoscope before putting it back into her bag. All the GP does in terms of contact with the body is to check for and confirm death, so apart from observing for pallor, pupillary reaction and respirations, listening for heartbeat or breath sounds, checking pulses and testing for corneal reflexes or doing a sternal rub (not always), the GP would have no reason for direct contact with the body.
In fact, in the case of a body which is decomposing in the way Tabbyfur describes, GP's would be well aware of the risks of aerosolizing potentially hazardous material by undue movement, and would take pains to follow Universal Precautions i.e. to wear the appropriate barrier garments.
Morgue staff or undertakers or coroner's staff, i.e. those physically handling and moving the body are the ones you'd expect to find transfer on.

If anything would have been contaminated, it would've been her shoes, only.

Answer 4

This is from a question that I answered the other day. Lazy I know but I can't be bothered to type it all again.


A locum GP who is on call would confirm a death at a persons home and refer the case to the coroner.

How many people do you think die every day?

I forgot to mention. In my job I see the same on call Locum GP every day that they are on duty. They confirm the death and then we take over after all the formalities.

edit: This is for the ones who can't understand how body fluids would still be on here clothes. You can wash your clothes after you have been handled a body. The fluids do not fully wash out of the clothes as they penertrate the fibres. When you iron the clothes afterwards you flatten the fibres with an excesive heat. Thus trapping the odour in the fibres. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to know that. Also, how much body fuids do you think you would get from a corpse that is 5 weeks old? There would be more than just a few specks of blood. The body fluids drain to the bottom of the body. This is one way that can tell how long a person has been dead. For example, an person who has died at home and has not been discovered for one - two weeks is normally found in a pool of body fluids. The fluids seep from every orafice. It's seeps through the chair, the carpet, the underlay, the floorboards. Everything including the floor boards has to be destroyed as you can't get rid of the smell even with industrial cleaning.

Locum GP's don't have a uniform. So what if she wears the same clothes on holiday. It's up to the person what she wears.

Answer 5

Well Dr Kate Mccann says she came in contact with 6 bodies before she went on holiday, according to some papers is completly normal for a GP to declare people dead, fair enough.
But, christ... I wouldn't want to be her patient, declaring 6 dead people in a week?
And does the woman never wash her clothes? Its gotta be more than 4months since she came in contact with the bodies...

Answer 6

To Whipass Chick and Alsanja - If the McCanns had pronounced appropriate on the commencing up "Omg what have we performed? We were so stupid. we've been egocentric, we in simple terms wanted a evening out without the youngsters and we notion we'd save some quid via not getting a babysitter. We in simple terms didnt assume. i will never make that mistake lower back. God forgive me I cant have faith approximately some element as properly a thank you to get maddy lower back so i'm sorry I cant do any further interviews for you. I cant even have faith as we communicate i'm so worried. I shall never forgive myself" etc etc. THEN i might have had luggage of sympathy for them. yet they didnt say any of that. What they certainly did grew to become into to fail to admit that that they were negligent. They swanned off on international holidays to work out the Pope and to u . s ., they in many circumstances pronounced that they had maximum effectual been "naive". So pondering of that i haven't any sympathy for the daddy and mom in any respect and that i might now not be in any appreciate surprised if that they had regardless of to do with it.

Answer 7

Well she could take certain items on holiday that she would have worn to work, don't see why not. the question now lies into how many deaths she came across before she came on holiday and someone mentioned 6 in about 11/2 days. (another true or false)Maddies teddy, I hadn't heard til now about Kate saying she often took it to work with her. Well, that doesn't ring true, I mean to say, who's going to take their child's favourite toy away from them and take it to work.Don't think so Kate,another cover up, another lie. they just keep getting bigger and better. What about the teddy supposed to have been found on a top shelf in their apartment after Maddie was first reported missing. Thought Maddie took this everywhere with her,would have thought it would have been in the bed with her or within easy reach. Too many lies for my liking and i think they are digging a bigger and deeper hole for themselves.(even kate washing the teddy)Why?
They're back in England where they should have been a long time ago for the twins sakes. My theory is they know they haven't got long before they are found out, so they have come to spend their last few days, weeks whatever with their families, and the twins will at least be with family when their parents are eventually arrested.Thats if their not taken into care by the local authority.

Answer 8

If that really is the case, I've no idea. What I do know is that if a decomposing 25 day old body was transferred to the boot of a car, a human being would be able to smell where it had been quite clearly - there would have been no need for a dog.

Answer 9

The dogs smelt it on her clothes,cuddle cat,the hire car keys,the hire car and her bible.Must be some size of bag she takes to work and is she reading her patients bible passages as well now

Answer 10

The dogs smelt death on her and the toy because........well do I have to finish the sentence?