Re:

[Mark Wedel <master@rahul.net>]

 I believe everything is 'dropped' when a creature dies.  I have gone 
through various squares and find things like '15 daggers' sitting on
a square.  In fact, it is insert_ob_in_map which also does object merging,
and has nothing to do with the drop code (other than the fact that the
drop code calls this, but so will whatever function that puts the objects
on the map).

 A corpse object with items in its inventory will not reduce space/number
of items in any way.  The only difference will be that they are in 
another objects inventory, and not on the map.  But it still uses the same
amount of memory.

 Doing this will have the unexpected feature that for the most part, objects
will not be destroyed by fire or other such attacks.  The only time that will
happen is when the corpse is destroyed, at which point the object are put
back on the map.

 When a map is swapped out, all object are swapped out with the map - this
includes objects in object or objects directly on the map.

 --Mark