12 Of The Creepiest Things Coroners And Others Have Experienced On The Job

It takes a strong stomach to work around death every day. But even the most seasoned coroners, forensic pathologists, and medical examiners get totally creeped out from time to time.

Autopsies, embalming, crime scene investigation…it’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. And if you can get past the initial shock, the work is actually pretty interesting, and it gives people a view of life that most never see.

That said, there are cases that are extremely gross and weird, even for those who have been in the business for a long time. On Reddit, these 12 professionals shared their all-time weirdest moments, but be warned: Their stories are beyond graphic.

1. “My very first case was an elderly male who died in a house fire. The firemen were unable to extract him until after the fire was put out, so he was completely cooked. What struck me was how similar the smell is to a pig roast.”

“When I opened the rib cage [it] looked just like cooked ribs without sauce. The skin was crackling and oil and juices pooled in the crease between the skin and exposed rib cage. I was off pork for about three months.”

(via Reddit / cstoli)

2. “My sister works as a histologist and has helped out for one or two autopsies. She told me a story of how when they were doing an autopsy on this guy his bowels were extremely swollen, hard and stuck together. On further examination, he had swallowed a fish bone which pierced his stomach, into his intestines and skewered them together, leading to his death.”