Embalming

Contents
Why embalming?
History of Embalming
The Egyptian Embalming Method
Other Early Practices
Early Christian Customs
Influence of Scientific Developments
Early American Embalming
Twentieth Century Practices
Modern Embalming

Why embalming?
The most important person at a Memorial Service is the Deceased. All eyes and thoughts will be focused on him in various meaningful retrospections. This makes it necessary for the body to be properly preserved and presented. This will enable the funeral to represent a purposeful opportunity to establish meaning - to reflect on the life that has been lived and to determine the impact on those who continue.

"Embalming" is the process to properly preserve and present thebody. Embalming is both science and art.

The science is to preserve the body from decomposition. If not done properly, the body will decompose and emit a foul stench with the usual infestations of maggots. No funeral will be pleasant or dignified if the body is allowed to rot without embalming. The alternative is to seal the coffin prematurely but this will deprived the relatives and friends of the deceased to pay their last respect.

The art in Embalming is to be able to present the deceased in a form which will help the relatives and friends to bring back good memories of the deceased.

History of Embalming
Beginnings in Egypt
Egypt is credited with being the land where embalming began.

During the period from 6000 BC to 600 AD approximately 400,000,000 bodies were mummified.

Embalming in Egypt was done for two reasons:

Religious- Greek historian Herodotus maintained that the Egyptians were the first people to believe in the immortality of the soul.
They believed that the soul would never fully forsake the body as long as the body remained intact.
Embalming was for the purpose of preserving the body so that the soul could return to it after the completion of the "circle of necessity."
This "circle of necessity" was a 3,000 year journey the soul was required to make before it could return to the body. At that time, the whole man would arise from the dead and live with the gods forever.
Sanitation- The writer Cassius maintained that embalming was developed to provide a solution to the problem of trying to bury the dead in the Nile valley which would be inundated on a frequent basis.
The Egyptians apparently also noted that this unsanitary condition caused more deaths.

The Egyptian Embalming Method top

The Egyptian embalmers were members of the priesthood.

Some believe that their embalming method is a "lost art" but in fact it was rather crude and rather than lost, well known and documented.

Much of their success was undoubtedly due to the dry hot climate. Dead bodies are destroyed by the action of bacteria. Heat and lack of moisture are natural enemies to bacterial survival and growth.

The Egyptians practiced three methods of embalming based upon the wealth of the individual. The most expensive method was comprised of 5 steps and would cost over $2,000 in today's dollars. The cheapest would have cost about $150.

Step 1. Removal of the brain. The skull was then repacked with resin.
Step 2. Evisceration. The internal organs were removed through an abdominal incision. The organs were either washed and mixed with resins and spices and returned to the body or were placed in separate burial vases called canopic jars.

Step 3. Immersion. The body was immersed in natron (sodium salt). The caustic action of the solution would cause the fingernails and toe nails to be removed. They were replaced in keeping with the belief that the body must be intact 3,000 later. This immersion lasted for 20-70 days.

Step 4. Dehydration. The body was cleansed, straightened and allowed to dehydrate in the sun.

Step 5. Wrapping. About 1200 yards of 3 1/4 inch bandage was used to wrap the body. Gum or glue held the clothe together and helped in fitting it around the body while it was still damp. The body was then placed in a sarcophagus and returned to the family.

The cheapest method was reserved for the poorest class of people which made up about 80% of the Egyptian population. It basically consisted of immersion in the natron solution.

Within a walled suburb known as the Necropolis (Literally, "City of the dead") all death care activities took place. Within these walls resided all those involved in these activities including coffin makers, artists, and the embalmers. Also located here were the crypts and tombs.

Other Early Practices top

The Egyptians were not the only people to practice some type of preservation of the dead.

* Ancient Ethiopian tribes preserved their dead in a manner similar to the Egyptians.

* Aboriginal inhabitants of the Canary Islands from 900 BC practiced mummification of their dead.

* Babylonians, Persians, and Syrians preserved their dead by placing them in jars of honey or wax. By depriving the bacteria in the body of air, decomposition was prevented.

* Peruvians practiced mummification 1000 years prior to being conquered by Spain in the early 16th century.

* Jewish custom is for simplicity. Embalming and cremation were generally not allowed because they were seen as mutilation of the body. As seen in the scriptures, preparation for burial consisted of wrapping the body and the application of oils and spices.

* The Greeks believed that the deceased must make a journey across the river Styx to the land of eternity. A coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased to pay passage over the river. A cake of honey was placed next to the body to appease the three headed dog, Cerebus, who guarded the entrance to Hades. Interment was delayed three days to prevent premature burial. Cremation came into practice in about 300 BC.

* The Romans also did not practice embalming as such. The body would be washed daily for seven days with hot water and oil. This delay also was to prevent premature burial. A group of slaves called pollinctores performed this function. Funeral processions were held at night to avoid defilement of the living. The procession was managed by a Designator, who functioned much like the modern day funeral director. Burial later gave way to cremation. At one point cremation was forbidden within the gates of Rome because of the smoke pollution of so many bodies being burned at once.

Early Christian Customs top

The early Christians derived their burial customs from the Greeks, Romans, and Jews. They followed the strong Jewish tradition of burial with no embalming. The sacred status of burial grounds was upheld.

Influence of Scientific Developments top

During the "dark ages" in Europe, embalming was generally not practiced. During this period, great advances were being made in medicine and bodies were needed for dissection purposes. For this sole purpose, some embalming was done and techniques perfected.

Also during this time, discoveries made in the world of medicine would have a great influence in the development of modern embalming technique.

o Leonardo DaVinci (1452-1519) produced hundreds of anatomical plates as a result of his dissection of the human body. He undoubtedly used arterial injection to preserve his specimens.

o Dr. Frederick Ruysch (1665-1717) is generally considered the father of embalming with his discovery of the first successful system of arterial embalming.

o Dr. William Harvey (1578-1657) was the English physician who discovered the circulation of blood.

o Dr. William Hunter (1718-1783) is credited with being the first to successfully adopt arterial injection as a means of preservation.

o Jean Gannal (1791-1882) began as an apothecary's assistant and became the first to offer embalming to the French general public.

o Anthony Van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) manufactured the microscope and discovered bacteria in 1683.

o Alexander Butlerov (1828-1866) and Wilhelm von Hofmann (1818-1892) are credited with the discovery of formaldehyde.

o Dr. Thomas Holmes (1817-1900 is generally considered the father of modern embalming. He experimented with preservative chemicals while working as a coroner's assistant in New York and later began offering his services to the public.

Early American Embalming  top

Modern embalming really got its start during the Civil War period. Dr. Thomas Holmes received a commission as a captain in the Army Medical Corps and was assigned to Washington, D.C. where he embalmed many army officers killed in battle. He reportedly embalmed over 4000 soldiers and officers.

President Lincoln took a great interest in embalming and directed the Quartermaster Corps to utilize embalming to allow the return of Union dead to their home towns for proper burial.

When he realized the commercial potential of embalming, Holmes resigned his commission and began offering embalming to the public for $100.

After the Civil War, embalming fell into disuse because of lack of demand and few to do the procedure. The "undertakers" of the day limited their efforts to ice to ward off decomposition long enough to have a funeral.

Twentieth Century Practices  top

By the turn of the century, wooden coffins were being made to order by the local carpenter or cabinet maker. A few even made coffins beforehand but met with criticism by the public for their boldness.

The cabinetmaker rarely became involved in any aspect of the funeral other than providing the coffin. Even the conveyance of the deceased was done by someone else, the livery man.

With the passing of time, these men became more and more involved in providing other services and advise to those planning the funeral.

Eventually the person who would "undertake" to manage all funeral details and provide funeral merchandise became known as an "undertaker." The undertaker eventually obtained and provided all the necessary items for the funeral including the hearse, door badges, coffin rests, etc.

Once it became possible for the undertaker to provide embalming services, the haste was taken out of the burial process and people were given ample time to arrange and prepare for the funeral.

The first embalming preparations were arsenic solutions that were rapidly replaced when formaldehyde became available. Representatives for embalming fluid companies would travel the country presenting one or two day schools of instruction in the use of their product. For attending these classes and purchasing a quantity of fluid, an undertaker received a certificate as an embalmer. It wasn't until the 1930's that state licensing became almost universal.

While this education seems wholly inadequate, it should be remembered that physicians and dentists of the day did not have much education either prior to practicing their profession.

From the cabinetmaker who simply supplied a coffin, the funeral director today provides over 130 separate services to a family.

Modern Embalming  top

The modern method of embalming is defined as the disinfection of preservation of the dead human body.

It is performed for three reasons.

The primary purpose of embalming is disinfection. While some pathogens die soon after the death of the host, it is also true that many dangerous organisms have the ability to survive for long periods of time in dead tissues. Persons coming in direct contact with the unembalmed body can become infected as well as there being the possibility of flies or other agents transferring pathogens to humans and infecting them.

The second purpose of embalming is preservation. The prevention of putrefaction and decomposition allows the disposition of the remains by burial, cremation, or entombment to take place without the odors or other unpleasantness that would accompany an uncared for remains.

The third purpose of embalming is restoration. Returning the body to a life-like appearance has received many critics, but the custom of viewing the body after death in a state of rest remains a practice of proven psychological worth.

The modern embalming process is designed to retard tissue decomposition for the period of time necessary for disposition as arranged for by the family of the deceased. Under favorable conditions however, modern embalming has been shown to be able to keep a body intact for decades.

Rather than prevent the body from returning to its natural elements, embalming allows the body to decompose by oxidation and dissolution rather than by putrefaction or rotting.

Embalming is accomplished by a chemical "fixation" of the cell protein. Formaldehyde basically reacts with the soluble albumins in the cell and converts them to albuminoids or gels. At the same time, the bacteria are destroyed, thus halting or at least delaying decomposition. Once embalming is properly completed, the body can only be attacked by air-borne bacteria and molds that can eventually destroy the body exposed to air if sufficient moisture is present to support bacterial and mold growth.

In modern embalming then, an embalming fluid that is both a disinfectant and a preservative is injected into the circulatory system of the body by an electric pump while the blood is forced out of the body and disposed of. In effect, the blood is replaced with a disinfectant and preservative solution.

The normal steps to preparation of the body consists of:

o The body is placed in a proper position on the embalming table with the arms laid over the stomach.

o The body is washed and disinfected.
o The face is shaved as necessary.

o The eyes are closed. This is usually accomplished with a small curved plastic disc called an "eye cap" placed under the eyelid. Perforations in the cap help hold the eye lid in place.

o The mouth is closed. This is usually accomplished by the placing of a specially designed "tack" in the upper and lower jaw. Each tack has a fine wire attached. By twisting the two wires together, the jaw is thus closed and the lips are set to the natural lip line using a cream to retain the proper position and to prevent dehydration.

o The embalming solution is prepared. The modern embalming machine consists of a 2-3 gallon reservoir and an electric pump. A solution of approximately 8 ounces of fluid to 1 gallon water is prepared.

o An incision is made over the carotid artery (where the neck meets the shoulder) or over the femoral artery (in the leg at the groin). The artery and vein are located and isolated.
o A tube which is attached to the machine is inserted into the artery. A slightly larger tube is placed into the accompanying vein. This tube is attached to a hose to the sewer system.

o The fluid is injected into the artery under pressure by the embalming machine. As the blood is displaced by the fluid going in, it is forced out of the vein tube and disposed of. The pressure forces the embalming fluid into the capillaries and eventually to the cells of the body. After approximately 3 gallons of solution are injected into the body, the blood has thinned and the fluid coming through the vein tube is mostly embalming fluid.

o The tubes are removed and the incision sutured.

o The abdominal cavity is treated by the use of a hollow tube called a trocar that is used to aspirate gases and liquid contents under suction. A preservative chemical is introduced.

o The body is again washed and cream is placed on the hands and face to prevent dehydration.

o The hair is shampooed and the finger nails cleaned.

o The body is covered with a sheet awaiting dressing and placement in the casket.

o Cosmetics are later applied to replace the natural color removed by the embalming process, much of which is created by blood in facial capillaries that is no longer present. In the case of women, cosmetics used in life may also be used to recreate the "look" the person had during life. The hair is combed or set.

This information was sourced from: Wyoming Funeral Directors Association, and FuneralNet

back to this is the end