Embalming explained

Things you should know before you go:

Embalming explained
By Andrew Hodges
May 2006

Embalming is certainly one of those mysterious elements of funerals. In this article I hope to explain the purpose and the general process.

The purpose of embalming is to disinfect, temporarily preserve and restore a person's body to a more natural appearance to allow for the viewing of the body.

The process of embalming depends on the funeral director's embalming style and the condition of the deceased's body: age, weight, sex, cause of death, time since death and environmental factors can all affect how an embalming is performed. For this article I will explain the process of a "normal" embalming.

First, the person's body is brought the funeral home and into the preparation room. This private room contains required instruments, proper ventilation and cleanable surfaces for the purpose of body preparation by embalming. The body is placed on the embalming table and once permission has been given to the funeral director by the next of kin responsible for arranging the funeral service either in writing or verbally, embalming can begin.

The body is then disinfected and checked for any areas that may require special treatment, such as bed sores or bullet holes. (These two things usually do not accompany each other.) The mouth, eyes, ears and nose are cleaned and set. Closing of the eyes involves eye caps which work a lot like contact lenses in the way they are inserted. Eye caps are plastic and serve two purposes: they maintain a natural curvature of the eye and they have little ridges to help keep the eye lids closed.

The mouth is either closed by a suture method, or with small wires. Both methods involved bringing the upper and lower jaw together and are unnoticeable once completed.

The next step is the arterial injection of formaldehyde, which can be compared to a blood transfusion, but exchanges blood for a solution of water and formaldehyde. As much blood as possible needs to be removed because bacteria grow best in moisture; if not removed, blood will eventually gravitate and cause a purplish-red discoloration. This exchange to done by using the body's natural circulation system. A vein and artery are raised out of the body, most commonly the carotid artery and jugular vein on the left side of the body, with a small incision made near the clavicle bone. This location is most common for embalmers because it is closest to the heart, which is the centre of circulation and usually results in the best distribution. However, sometimes blockages in the circulation system, due to blood clots or tumors for example, may result in the need to inject a leg or arm separately in order for a thorough distribution.

The solution is injected with the help of an embalming machine. This instrument has a tank to hold the solution and a motor with controls for volume and pressure. A tube is connected and is inserted into the raised artery. The embalming machine effectively acts as the heart, gently pumping the solution in the person's circulatory systems which then diffuses into the tissues of the body. A small incision is made on the raised vein, and as two liquids cannot occupy the same space, the blood is pushed out by the arterial fluid. The arterial solution does four things in the body: removing blood is the first, but it also has a disinfection element, there are tints present in the solution which help return the skin to a more natural colour, and at the cellular level it encapsulates the part of the cell called the lysosome. During life the lysosome is a component of cells that contain enzymes that digest waste. However, in death they release the enzymes as part of decomposition, which break down tissue. Formaldehyde encapsulates the lysosomes, temporarily holding that release, which postpones decomposition.

Special chemicals can be added to the arterial solution to combat conditions like jaundice, edema, dehydration and emaciation. Also, before the arterial injection is done there is sometimes the option of injecting what is called a pre-injection. This solution contains elements that condition the arterial systems to better accept the formaldehyde solution by lubricating vessels, loosening blood clots and adjusting the pH level of the body. There are times when a pre-injection cannot be done due to excess moisture in the system or if the arterial system is compromised by such things as arteriosclerosis from high blood pressure that makes the arteries weak.

Once the injection is complete, the organs of the body must be treated. The stomach, intestines, etc., have bacteria in them that serve us in life. However, in death they accelerate decomposition. They are treated with the help of a trocar and aspirator. A trocar is a long, narrow, hollow metal instrument that comes to a point with small openings at the end. At the other end, it is connected to a tube that is connected to either a hydro or electric aspirator, which is the device that provides suction. The trocar is inserted into the body near the belly button and works a lot like liposuction in that it is injected into all the body's organs to remove liquids and gases. The trocar is then removed, and a second trocar is used that is connected to a tube and bottle of formaldehyde that acts as a gravity feed to thoroughly disinfect the organs.

The incisions for arterial injection and aspiration are treated and sutured, the body is washed, dressed and placed in the casket and cosmetics and hair are done. Cosmetics can be applied to cover up discolouration such as a bruise, and can be used on both men and women to return the skin to a natural complexion. In my opinion, cosmetics can be the most important element to the appearance. Even if the embalming is done exceptionally well, it means nothing if cosmetics are used incorrectly.

The time is takes to do all of this once again depends on the situation and the embalmer. The longest I have ever spent without a break was six hours and longest with breaks was eleven hours. But two the three hours is probably the norm. But if the efforts are appreciated, then every second was worth it.