Embalming of Corpses

EMBALMING OF CORPSES, preservation of corpses from putrefactive decomposition by introducing various antiseptic substances. Embalming of corpses is performed, mainly, for educational, scientific, public health, and forensic purposes, as well as for preserving the bodies of prominent figures; less frequently, embalming is undertaken for burial in a crypt. Corresponding to these purposes, various methods of embalming are used, making it possible to preserve the body either for an indefinitely long time in its lifelike appearance, or only for a shorter period; in the latter case, subsequent mummification (drying out) of the corpse usually occurs. As is known, embalming was practiced in ancient times: this art was already known to the Assyrians and Persians; it was particularly widespread among the Egyptians, who resorted to embalming not only of human but also of animal corpses for religious reasons. How perfectly the Egyptians mastered the art of embalming is evident from the Egyptian mummies that have survived to the present day (see Mummification). According to the description of Herodotus (History, II, 85-88), at that time there were three methods of embalming. According to the first method, used for noble deceased persons, the brain was removed through the nostrils with a special hook, and the internal organs through an incision in the abdominal wall; the resulting cavities, after washing with palm wine, were filled with various aromatic spices (myrrh, cassia). Then the corpse was placed in salt (natron) for 70 days, after which it was washed and wrapped in thin cloth (byssus bandages) impregnated with gum. Judging from the data of chemical analysis of Egyptian mummies, natron consisted of a mixture of: potassium nitrate, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate, potassium carbonate, and lime. According to the two other secondary methods, used for the corpses of the poor class, cedar or cedar oil was introduced into the deceased without opening the cavities through the anal opening, and then it was also subjected to the action of natron for 70 days. Approximately the same information is also found in Diodorus Siculus (book 1, p. 91). In essence, the Egyptian method of embalming amounted to the elimination of putrefactive decomposition and the impregnation of the corpse's tissues with aromatic spices, followed by drying, i.e., its mummification. In the 19th century, mercuric chloride antiseptic substances were used for embalming, which were introduced into the cavities of the corpse. Only in 1835 was the method of embalming by injecting a solution of arsenic with alcohol into the blood vessels first proposed by Franchina. According to the method of Sue (1842), a solution of zinc chloride was injected into the circulatory system. Then solutions of carbolic acid, glycerin, methyl alcohol, Lyubimov's fluid (see) and Vickersheimer's fluid (see) etc. began to be used. Recently, in anatomical theaters, embalming for student exercises is performed by injecting a 20% solution of formalin into the vascular system. More than 20 years ago, P. A. Minakov introduced into forensic practice a very simple and reliable method of embalming that does not require special apparatus and much time. According to Minakov's method, a solution of formalin with alcohol (in equal parts) is injected directly into the cranial, thoracic, and abdominal cavities. Injection into the cranial cavity is made through a small hole made with a drill in the vault of the skull. This hole is then closed with a plug. This method is especially valuable when embalming decomposed corpses, when injection of solutions into the vascular system is impossible due to the easy rupture of putrefied vessels. All the above-mentioned methods of embalming do not subsequently protect the corpses from drying out, i.e., mummification, which begins with the superficial parts of the body. This last drawback is to some extent eliminated by injecting into the vessels a solution of formalin and glycerin in the following composition: 600 cubic cm of glycerin, 200 cubic cm of alcohol, 200 cubic cm of formalin. To this embalming solution, some add 1% mercuric chloride and fragrant essential oils (anise, bergamot, rose). For the injection, a special syringe (see the illustration) is used, or more simply - an ordinary Esmarch's bottle. The site of injection is usually the right femoral or carotid artery. Sometimes injections are made into the aorta, for which the sternum is cut lengthwise and the chest is opened with spreaders. When injecting through the aorta, 6,000 cubic cm of solution are introduced at intervals, with the blood first allowed to flow from the right auricle of the heart through a tube inserted there. When injecting through the femoral or carotid artery (right), the solution is introduced toward the heart in an amount of 4-5 liters and separately 1 liter into the right lower limb. The corpse must lie with limbs spread apart on a flat table. It is recommended at this time to give a light massage to the auricles and, in general, the exposed parts in order to displace the blood that has remained. If during the injection the face begins to swell, the injection is immediately stopped. If it is necessary to perform an autopsy on the corpse, this is done no earlier than 12 hours after the injection. When embalming an already opened corpse, solutions are poured into the vessels of each limb, and the internal organs are washed and padded with cotton wool moistened with embalming fluid. Under the skin of the face, embalming fluid is injected with a fine syringe. The best results are obtained if such an opened corpse, after formalin treatment, is soaked in a glycerin-acetic mixture of Melnikov-Razvedenkov (600 parts glycerin, 400 parts sodium acetate, 1,000 parts water). To completely eliminate the inevitable, under normal conditions, drying out of the external parts of the corpse, the method of Shor can be applied, which consists in storing the corpse in a humid, hermetically sealed glass chamber; to prevent the glass from fogging, the inside of the chamber is coated with a very thin layer of paraffin oil. Dried parts can be restored to their lifelike appearance by soaking in water, then in a weak solution of acetic acid, followed by treating the tissue with hydrogen peroxide (Vorobiev).