Previous deaths directly and indirectly associated with apartment 5a.

[John]

A very good point was made earlier regarding ashes relating to human cremations. There is every possibility that ashes were taken to 5a relating to previous occupants, what really surprises me though is that there are no references in the files to this having been investigated in an attempt to explain the cadaver dog alerts.

[Robittybob1]

A very good point was made earlier regarding ashes relating to human cremations. There is every possibility that ashes were taken to 5a relating to previous occupants, what really surprises me though is that there are no references in the files to this having been investigated in an attempt to explain the cadaver dog alerts.

I still maintain that following a professionally performed cremation there is no cadaver odour present in the ashes.  So this variation makes no effect on the cadaver dog alerts.

[Carana]

I still maintain that following a professionally performed cremation there is no cadaver odour present in the ashes.  So this variation makes no effect on the cadaver dog alerts.

Why not? Bone is part of what they are trained to find.

[John]

I still maintain that following a professionally performed cremation there is no cadaver odour present in the ashes.  So this variation makes no effect on the cadaver dog alerts.

I believe that to be true, the temperature involved destroys all organic material but cadaverine could get onto any receptible which originated in an undertakers by various means don't you think?  Undertakers dealing with bodies will transfer cadaverine routinely, remember this substance cannot be removed by cleaning.  Exposure to deceased persons was also given as the explanation as to why Eddie alerted to some of Kate's clothing.

[Carana]

There are hundreds of scents associated with decomposition, depending on the type of substance (s) and the stage of decomposition.

ETA: There are several studies on the subject. Here's one:

http://pawsoflife-org.k9handleracademy.com/Library/HRD/DeGreeff_2011.pdf

And another:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_rska-C58YwC&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=cadaver+dog+%22cremated+remains%22&source=bl&ots=X3FbPAot6F&sig=yadhPSB_dAv3TTiMxsEnR27FqBI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1-Pz5wOHOAhUD0RQKHcUDDGUQ6AEIHjAA#v=onepage&q=cadaver%20dog%20%22cremated%20remains%22&f=false

[Brietta]

A very good point was made earlier regarding ashes relating to human cremations. There is every possibility that ashes were taken to 5a relating to previous occupants, what really surprises me though is that there are no references in the files to this having been investigated in an attempt to explain the cadaver dog alerts.

I think they failed to differentiate between what the handler told them of the dogs' capabilities and what he told them regarding the exact substance in law of those capabilities.

[Robittybob1]

I believe that to be true, the temperature involved destroys all organic material but cadaverine could get onto any receptible which originated in an undertakers by various means don't you think?  Undertakers dealing with bodies will transfer cadaverine routinely, remember this substance cannot be removed by cleaning.  Exposure to deceased persons was also given as the explanation as to why Eddie alerted to some of Kate's clothing.

There seems to be a lot of myths about this cadaverine and cadaver odour.  But the Earth has been around a long time 4.5 billion years and if cadaver odour didn't fade every spot on the earth would have had a death on it over the entire history of the Earth.  So it obviously fades with time and can be washed off.

[Carana]

I think they failed to differentiate between what the handler told them of the dogs' capabilities and what he told them regarding the exact substance in law of those capabilities.

Actually, I think that Harrison and Grime (in his report as opposed to his promo CV), did try to emphasise the legal side through the need for forensic corroboration, but I'm not sure that anyone was listening in the initial PJ team.

Unless my memory fails me, it wasn't actually until Grime's answers to the rogatory questions, that anyone was aware that Eddie would react to the dried blood of a living human. No one thought to ask (at least according to the files), what other substances were in his "training parameters".

Grime did state that Eddie hadn't reacted to road kill or meat (particularly pork) for human consumption (with the example of a restaurant inspection).

It's not clear which species of animals Eddie may ever have encountered as road kill, and hopefully most restaurants don't keep weeks-old remains of rotting meat.

And, aside from the other question mark over the Jersey tissues, that's about all anyone can glean.

[John]

There seems to be a lot of myths about this cadaverine and cadaver odour.  But the Earth has been around a long time 4.5 billion years and if cadaver odour didn't fade every spot on the earth would have had a death on it over the entire history of the Earth.  So it obviously fades with time and can be washed off.

It fades in time but cannot be removed by washing.

[Robittybob1]

It fades in time but cannot be removed by washing.

You're funny like that.  Put it this way  do you think the cadaver dog would react to the water that came from the washing process as well as the item?  If you say "yes" then washing is removing some of it from the item.
Therefore wash it often enough and the dog will not indicate on the original item.