# Will Terri Schiavo have an autopsy? What would one tell us about her condition?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-terri-schiavo-have-an-autopsy-what-would-one-tell-us-about-her-condition/296560>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 28, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-terri-schiavo-have-an-autopsy-what-would-one-tell-us-about-her-condition/296560 "2005-03-28T04:53:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-terri-schiavo-have-an-autopsy-what-would-one-tell-us-about-her-condition/296560/21 "2005-03-29T22:48:57Z")

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> [@Hamlet](#):
>
> [Cite](http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=autopsy&URL=CH0406/Sec11.HTM)  
> This link says, in pertinent part:

If you’d quoted just a little bit more, you’d have seen this part:

> [@](#):
>
> (c) When a body is to be cremated, dissected, or buried at sea.

So, there really isn’t a mystery as to why an autopsy is being preformed. It is required by Florida law prior to a cremation.

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**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-terri-schiavo-have-an-autopsy-what-would-one-tell-us-about-her-condition/296560/22 "2005-03-31T06:25:29Z")

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> [@DoctorJ](#):
>
> If she does have a total lack of any cortical tissue remaining, they’ll say that it all happened because they removed the feeding tube and starved her to death.

That would no doubt be the argument. I’m thinking that the lack of water may contribute to some more brain damage anyway, making the investigation kind of difficult.

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-terri-schiavo-have-an-autopsy-what-would-one-tell-us-about-her-condition/296560/23 "2005-03-31T06:44:22Z")

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According to the news accounts I’ve seen, there _will_ be a neurologist examining the brain. However, it will take two weeks for the chemicals the brain is soaked in to allow the brain to be examined. At least one “expert” has stated that even examining slices of her brain won’t prove anything.

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