Signs of Anoxia?
I’m not 100% sure if this is the right stack, but I’d like an expert opinion for a novel. The antagonist is a serial killer who uses magic circles to remove all hemoglobin from his victims, while leaving everything else intact. Obviously, this would lead to anoxia/shock and death. Would an autopsy reveal anything noteworthy, aside from colorless blood*, visible to the naked eye?
*Google tells me that iron gives blood its red color, and that hemoglobin-less blood (as seen in some fish) is clear.
Research I’ve done so far: reading a medical journal article on asphyxiation, this webpage on anemia
(1)1 Comments
Sorted by latest first Latest Oldest Best
While theoretically hemoglobine-free blood may be "clear", it would probably be more of a milky color (have a look here for how a platelet transfusion looks like: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platelet_transfusion) - this does not contain any red cells (which hold the hemoglobine). Another thing you might want to look at are plasma donation bags: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319162 - generally speaking plasma (cell-free blood) is clearer on an empty stomach, while after a fat-rich meal it become more cloudy.
Finally, total removal of hemoglobine will leave pale skin - much like a very extreme type of haemorrhagic shock (shock from bleeding out). You could probably compare this more 'worldly' with a victim of a vampire that has been sucked completely 'dry'.
As a side note, anoxia is hard to achieve in a human, because not only hemoglobine caries oxygen, but also plasma (and cells) - what you are looking for is extreme hypoxia, which in not completely hemoglobine-depleted individuals will more likely lead to cyanosis, a purple-bluish tinging of skin, beginning peripherally, see also here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanosis
Terms of Use Privacy policy Contact About Cancellation policy © freshhoot.com2025 All Rights reserved.