What are considered negative signs in determining death?

In the context of determining death, the presence of no pulse or reaction to stimulus signifies the absence of vital signs and responses typically associated with life. A pulse indicates that blood is circulating throughout the body and that the heart is functioning, while a reaction to stimulus is a sign of neurological activity. When both of these are absent, it strongly supports the determination of death.

While cold body temperature, rigor mortis, and signs of decomposition can be indicators related to death, they occur under specific conditions or at certain stages postmortem. Cold body temperature may happen after death due to environmental factors, and rigor mortis is a physiological process that occurs as the body's muscles start to stiffen after death. Decomposition is the breakdown of bodily tissues, which occurs over time and is not an immediate sign of death but rather a postmortem change. Therefore, the absence of a pulse and reaction to stimulus are the most direct and immediate indicators used in the determination of death.