In 2013, Judge Mario Carroza ordered the exhumation of Neruda’s remains and sent samples to forensic genetics laboratories in Canada and Denmark for analysis. PhotoThese experts have now cast doubt on the official cause of death and said they found potentially deadly bacteria in one of the samples, a molar. Neruda’s death certificate established the cause of death as cancer cachexia, which involves significant weight loss, but the forensic specialists unanimously found that to be impossible. “That cannot be correct,” said Dr. Niels Morling, of the University of Copenhagen’s department of forensic medicine, who participated in the analysis. The actual cause of death, as well as the origin of the bacteria, is still unknown.

Source: New York Times October 21, 2017 23:03 UTC