Unusual supravital muscle reaction of the upper limbs caused by an attempt to obtain an idiomuscular tumor

The article shows the role of long-lasting postmortem spinal reflexes' potential in rigor mortis development on an example of fatal railway injury. Strokes with metal rod on both biceps caused a spinal reflex (forearms' flexion in elbow joints and fingers) instead of an idiomuscular tumor with simultaneous development of a pronounced rigor mortis of the upper limbs on the decapitated corpse of a 20-year-old woman 7.25 h after death.