Horrible Myths And Misconceptions About Embalming. Creepy. Mort CNovember 2. Picture a natural death—Hollywood style. The eyes close softly and the person looks as though he or she is in a peaceful sleep. In reality, the deceased look like I do when I sleep, mouth gaping and face squished against the pillow. Since the embalming process is not done in front of a live audience, a lot of rumors and myths surround this procedure. As an embalmer with 1. I’m here to help clear up some of the confusion. Embalmers Remove All Your Organs. What did they do with Grandpa? Embalming has come a long way, baby. The Egyptians only had one goal in mind: preservation. Today, preservation is one of many goals. Preservation has to be balanced with restoration. So, while removing organs may help you become nice and leathery, today. All the embalmer needs is access to an artery, and that only requires an inch- long incision. The misconception might come from confusion between embalming and autopsy, in which organs are removed, weighed, studied, and sometimes sampled for testing. This is done by a pathologist, not an embalmer. After an autopsy, organs are placed back into the body prior to receipt at the funeral home for embalming. However, this does alter the approach to embalming since the minimally invasive opportunity has passed. Dead Guys Can Sit Straight Up. We all have that relative, you know, the grandfather that was in a morgue once, probably during a war, and saw a corpse sit straight up! Lie flat on the floor. Now, using only stomach muscle, sit straight up—fast! Think of the number of muscles that have to work perfectly in conjunction for that to happen. If, by some miracle, movement could occur in a muscle after death, then it would really be a miracle for them to all work together. Muscles require energy to relax. Even more energy would be required to move or flex a muscle, and remember, you’re all out of energy. Therefore, you may get stiff after death, but you won. Nanoseconds after death, the brain may be releasing its last few signals that would result in a twitch or two. Embalmers Sew Your Lips Shut. It must be true—we. You may feel totally relaxed even with your mouth shut, but muscles are keeping your jaw closed.
When they relax, your mouth will fall open. There are a few ways to do this. A common way is to use small, sharp needles that can be anchored into the bone of the upper and lower jaw, one on each side. They are attached to wires that can be twisty- tied shut. This may sound unpleasant, but I guarantee it. If poor bone structure makes this difficult, a needle and suture may be used, but it doesn. Same idea—upper, lower, and tie a knot. Embalming Never required by law. Embalming is a process that temporarily preserves the body, and many people will request it while funeral planning. Embalming a body is a multi-step procedure used to preserve a body and delay decomposition for a short time, and temporarily restore a life-like appearance. Like Vampires, Embalmers Suck Your Blood Out. While it. Since your circulatory system is . Other fluids and gases keep you moving, and gas can build up quickly when bacteria is staking a claim. Any excess fluid or gas that. A long instrument called a trocar is used to remove these from organs and cavities through a single insertion point near the belly button. This build- up of gas can create pressure on some interesting parts of your body. When moving a body from place to place, it is possible to free that gas through the throat or . If growth were to continue without restraint, we would be convinced that every exhumed mummy was once Lady Godiva. People swear that Uncle Joe. At some point, your skin is going to get dehydrated since you. Skin retracts when it dehydrates, which can give the illusion of longer nails. Also, the embalming fluid has a firming effect on the skin. If a man is clean- shaven prior to embalming, he may be stubbly afterward. This is because the firming of the skin retracts from the base of the hair and gets those follicles standing at attention. Ah! The Smell Of Formaldehyde In The Morning. Formaldehyde doesn. It is akin to formic acid which occurs naturally in ant venom, and its name comes from the Latin word for ant, formica. You may remember that time in biology class when you pulled a frog out of a jar of formaldehyde before squeamishly making the first dissecting cut. You may envision barrels full of the yellowish fluid next to the embalming table. Formaldehyde is a gas, so when referring to the fluid the proper term is formalin. Some embalming fluids contain the less harsh glutaraldehyde instead. There isn. In reality, embalming fluid has a lot of other stuff in it, like dyes, surfactants, additives for hydration, and even pleasant odors to make the embalmers feel happy inside. Also, the fluid is concentrated into 1. Those bottles are mixed with a gallon or so of water to create the right cocktail. The Removed Blood Is Contained And Removed As Medical Waste. No question this would be expected, but nonetheless, it ain. The blood and any other fluids that are removed from our bodies go right into the sewer. I bet the Ninja Turtles didn. The blood is mixed with powerful disinfecting chemicals during the process and is not a threat to public health. Funeral homes have backflow valves in their plumbing that keep the outgoing sewage from accidentally backing into the incoming plumbing. The waste is treated at sewer treatment plants alongside all the nastiness you contribute. In the days prior to funeral parlors, embalming was done at the home of the decedent. The embalmer would take his travel- size kit with him, which included jars with fluid and empty jars to fill with the blood. It was actually a cleaner process in those days, even though indoor plumbing wasn. The blood would be contained via medical tubing and sealed in jars for disposal. Embalming Is Required For Burial. Mom never wanted to be embalmed, but she didn. With society wanting to be greener more than ever before, the idea of putting a chemical- soaked body in the ground inside a box of manufactured steel just doesn. For others, they just want nature to take its course: . If your body is being shipped long distances on an airliner along with other people. If someone is in advanced decomposition, if they are a severe burn victim, or if they have been maimed beyond recognition, embalming is not feasible. Certain diseases are also avoided by embalmers, like Creutzfeldt- Jakob. B- grade horror films have taught us well: If Uncle Longlegs doesn. The first step in the embalming process is surgical, in which bodily fluids are removed and are replaced with formaldehyde-based chemical solutions.Realistically though, you may look at a casket and wonder, . Large Mc. Huge fit in that thing? In life, we tend to get as much of it as we can. While a crowded elevator has more than enough cubic feet for a group of people, you still feel a little uncomfortable when you. Its small size might make the living feel a little claustrophobic. Standard casket sizes are much larger than they were 6. A wooden casket is usually 1. A metal casket is 2. Length is seldom an issue since people lose a few inches as they age and are propped up on a pillow. Oversize caskets are available, too. You’ll See Me Naked And Cut My Clothes? While dignity is at the forefront of an embalmer. Like a medical procedure, your most private parts remain covered, but you certainly aren. Part of the preparation work includes bathing and washing your hair for your big day. All those who have had their share of medical procedures have slowly lost the will to keep themselves modest over time. The doctor of course has seen it all a thousand times and really has more important things to focus on. Same for the embalmer: You are certainly not going to be the first anatomical human to grace the table, and you won. Plus, there is work to be done and there isn. Some people wear shoes and others don. Underwear also seems to be a personal preference. Your heart has stopped and your brain has died. Without your heart vigorously pumping blood to all your parts, gravity finally wins and your blood settles toward the Earth. This process is called livor mortis, which is Latin for, . What if he died face down? You guessed it: He gets a very red, eventually purple face. There are a few ways to determine that someone has died: Check for a pulse, watch and listen for signs of breath, and to be absolutely sure, wait a few days. The natural process of decomposition will begin, and the first sign is a green tint forming over the area of your intestines. Your intestines already contain bacteria that aid in digestion, but without your body. Eventually, the very vessels that contain your blood will start to disintegrate, and an organized bruising will cause an effect called marbling. Your skin will show purple lines that represent where your veins were before your blood reached the skin. Embalming delays all these processes to allow for a dignified viewing and burial. So go out and give your embalmer a hug! I am a mortician with 1. I am also the author of Funerary Ramblings which is updated at least every other year.
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