In the past 10 years, people began to seek help from specialists more often so that they embalmed their deceased relatives. This is not surprising, since such a procedure helps to preserve the normal color of the skin, and also does not give an unpleasant odor. Therefore, this article will examine in detail an event called embalming, how the process of preserving the body occurs, and also what methods of conservation exist in general. We also learn how they saved the deceased leader of the proletariat - V.I. Lenin - in 1924.
Meaning of the word
Embalming is a certain procedure aimed at preserving for a certain period of open skin areas of the deceased. Special processing of the dead tissue inhibits their decomposition. Thanks to this complex procedure, it is possible to really save the body for a sufficiently long period.
Ways
To understand how embalming occurs, you first need to find out what methods exist for performing this procedure. To date, 4 options are known:
- Cavity reception.
- Injective embalming.
- Superficial reception.
- Arterial or vascular preservation.
Abdominal reception
In this case, the internal organs of the corpse are processed, since it is with them that the rapid decomposition of the body begins. There are 2 processing methods: puncture and incision method. In the first case, punctures are performed in the abdominal, as well as in each pleural cavity. The specialist makes an injection and then pours an antiseptic solution into the hole formed. The usual volume of liquid is from 1.5 to 2.5 liters.
Now we will briefly consider how the embalming of the body occurs by the cut method: a small incision is made to pass through the anterior abdominal wall directly into the cavity. This method is used when a long transportation of the deceased is necessary, and putrefactive processes have already begun, or if the corpse is obese.
Injection Preservation
This technique is often performed with puncture. That is, there is an infiltration (impregnation) of the soft tissues of the face, neck and hands with a special antiseptic solution. At the same time, a small amount of liquid is used, and also the specialist during the procedure makes a gentle massage necessary to ensure that the preservative is evenly distributed.
Surface embalming
It is performed when the corpse shows visible injuries or wounds on the skin. Then a special liquid composition is applied to the body, as well as thanatogel.
Arterial or vascular preservation
How does embalming occur in this case? A solution of a special composition is injected through the system of blood arteries. This method allows you to save the body of a deceased for a very long time. However, such a technique is used extremely rarely and not every pathologist can perform it, since this method is quite complicated.
Intravascular embalming: stages
This method of saving bodies is the most popular and is carried out in the following order:
- A vascular injection is performed.
- Cavities are cleared.
- The solution is introduced into the soft tissues.
Basic solutions used to preserve the body
Embalming a person, whose photo can be seen in this article, is performed using special fluids, which are divided into 4 categories:
- Preinjection - helps to release the vascular system from blood and restore skin color.
- Pre-embalming - a fluid that is intermediate between the first and third categories. This solution contains up to 5% formalin.
- Embalming arterial fluid - includes up to 15% formalin, carbolic acid - up to 20%, glutaraldehyde, ethyl alcohol - up to 10%, glycerin - up to 5%, acetic acid - 0.5%, as well as coloring substances, for example, eosin and aromatic substance - up to 0.5%.
- An embalming strip solution - contains the main element as much as 30%, sometimes even higher. This liquid is different from arterial. Also in the oral solution does not contain cosmetic ingredients.
Body preparation for the procedure
Now we will learn in detail how the embalming of the deceased occurs, but first there is a preliminary organization of this process, which consists in the following:
- Before the event, the deceased are completely undressed and laid on a special table. Place it so that the head is above the rest of the organs.
- The body is treated with a disinfectant solution. For this, the specialist uses both liquid products and aerosols. All natural openings of the deceased are cleaned, and then cotton swabs soaked in a disinfectant are determined in them.
- The specialist completely washes the body with warm water and bactericidal soap, after which it is completely dried.
- Hair treatment. They can be washed either at the beginning or at the end of embalming. Hair is treated with warm water with shampoo or soap.
- Shaving the body. Facial hair removal is performed in the direction of their growth.
Cooking basics
Many people know what embalming means. How this process occurs in the morgue remains a mystery to many. However, now we will open the curtain of secrecy and try to briefly describe the whole process of this event. So, after the preparatory procedures, the specialist proceeds to the main points:
- The embalmer necessarily closes the eyes of the dead. He does this extremely carefully. For eyelids, prone to sag and form depressions, he determines a piece of cotton wool, sometimes for this purpose a specialist uses a plastic cap. Some people think that the dead man’s eyelids are sewn, but this is not so. A specialist can simply glue them.
- The morgue worker closes the mouth of the deceased so that it seems natural. And just in this case, the master can sew it up or use a special injector.
- Moisturizing. The expert smears a little cream on the eyelids and lips - this way he protects them from drying out and gives naturalness.
Arterial treatment
So the basic preparations for holding an event such as embalming have been completed. How is the processing of the arteries of a deceased? This will be discussed below.
1. The specialist selects the incision area. Then the expert introduces the embalming solution, while pumping blood from an adjacent vein or heart. On average, 8 liters of fluid are consumed. As a solution, a mixture of formaldehyde, water and additional chemicals is used.
2. The embalmer performs an incision: for men - near the sternum muscle and clavicle; women in the hip area. Previously, the specialist cleans the area where the vein is located, pierces it and inserts the tube. To block the artery, the expert uses forceps, and with the help of a clamp, he stops the flow of blood.
3. The specialist turns on the embalming apparatus and introduces the liquid. During this process, the morgue worker massages the limbs to release blood and inject the solution. When the fluid reaches the arteries, the pressure will go through the veins, which will mean the movement of the product through the body. The specialist notices this by convex veins. From time to time, the expert allows the blood stream to exit through the neck tube.
4. The morgue worker should slowly reduce the pressure. And when about 20% of the fluid remains, he moves the cannula to another artery. This is done so that the fluid can fill all the veins. How does embalming a person in the morgue occur if an incision was made in the hip area? Then the right shin is exposed to this process.
5. When the event comes to an end, the expert turns off the device, removes the cannula and bandages all the veins and arteries that were used. He cuts the cuts.
Embalming
- Now that the arteries have been prepared, the specialist begins to cleanse the chest, bladder, colon, etc. For this purpose, the employee uses a trocar.
- An expert sucks fluid from the chest. To do this, he inserts the trocar 5 cm to the right and the same distance above the navel. The specialist cleanses the hollow organs: stomach, small intestine and pancreas.
- How does embalming happen next? The morgue worker further cleanses the lower cavity, sucking and pulling the contents from the colon, bladder, and uterus in women. To prevent fluid from passing through, sometimes cotton wool is inserted into the anus and vagina.
- Then the morgue worker introduces the abdominal substance. In this case, the liquid, as a rule, consists of 30% of formaldehyde. The same thing needs to be done with the upper as well as with the lower organs.
- The final stage - the specialist pulls out the trocar and seals the hole with a plastic screw.
Definition of a body in a coffin
After reading the information about preparing the body for a funeral, inquisitive people will no longer have a question: “How is embalming in the morgue?” After all, everything was described in detail above. It's time to find out about the final events. So, the final points of preparing the body for burial:
- After performing all operations, a morgue worker washes blood and chemicals from the body of the dead.
- The expert cuts the nails of the deceased, combes his hair, uses cosmetics to give the face a natural look.
- Worker puts clothes on a deceased person.
- Defines the body in a coffin.
How embalmed the leaders of the world proletariat?
Vladimir Ilyich died 91 years ago, but his body is carefully preserved all this time in the Mausoleum. How did the most famous embalming in the world happen? Initially, doctors wanted to use the freeze method. However, this method of preserving the body was not destined to be realized, since it began to rapidly decompose. Then the scientists V. Vorobyov and B. Zbarsky developed their technology.
Initially, the experts removed from the body of Lenin all the contents of the chest and also the abdominal cavity, removed the brain from the skull. Then they saturated the whole body with a solution of formaldehyde. And at this stage there were difficulties in the technology of wetting. Usually embalmed, introducing fluid through the blood vessels, but in this case they were no longer able to perform this task. Therefore, experts had 3 options: to identify the body in the bathroom with formalin; inject the solution with syringes or apply topically. And they chose the first option. The body was immersed in a rubber bathtub filled with a 3% formalin solution. Along with this, an operation was carried out to eliminate already existing traces of decomposition. Doctors discolored spots on the hands, face with peroxide, but the effect was temporary. Therefore, it was necessary to find another way, and they came up with it. They treated the body first with acetic acid, and then with hydrogen peroxide with the addition of ammonia.
For some time the deceased was in a formalin solution, and then it was transferred to a “balsamic liquid”, which was based on glycerin (65%), potassium acetate, and also quinine chloride.
Today, a whole group of scientists performs a body examination twice a week, and every year and a half they examine it and replace the embalming solution. By the way, today you can even find a video of how embalming occurs. Lenin is carefully checked, replaced with the liquid in which he is located, dressed. However, the sight is not for the faint of heart, so it is worth considering when watching a video.
Now you know what embalming is, how this process takes place in the morgue: how specialists prepare the body, perform the main event and complete it. They found out that there are several methods of preserving the body of the deceased, and also learned how they prepared for the long-term preservation of the leader of the world proletariat.