How to Embalm a Body
From the ancient Egyptians to modern Americans, most cultures have partaken in some form of body preparation. While the methods have evolved, the purpose behind embalming has remained unchanged; namely, to bring comfort and healing to the living. Read on to learn the basics of embalming a human body.
- Difficulty:
- Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Embalming License
- Embalming Table
- Formaldehyde
- Body disinfectant
- Embalming machine
- Cotton balls
- Scalpel
- Cannula
- Surgical Tubing
- Trocar
- Plastic wrap
- Liquid adhesive
- Cotton swabs
- Stitching
- Strong stomach
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1
Undress the body and place it on an embalming table.
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2
Shave and set the facial features. Setting the features includes (but is not limited to) packing the oral cavity and eyes with cotton, filling up sunken areas of the face and balancing the nose to achieve a pleasant facial appearance prior to the embalming process. Performing these tasks after embalming would be difficult (or impossible) due to the formaldehyde causing the skin to harden.
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3
Raise the carotid, femoral or brachial artery. Raising an artery means cutting the body, finding the artery and securing it for injecting formaldehyde. Depending on the case (or preference of embalmer) any of these arteries may be used for injecting the embalming fluid.
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4
Inject the embalming fluid into the artery and drain from the corresponding veins (jugular, femoral or brachial) using an embalming machine. This machine injects formaldehyde into the body while forcing the blood out.
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5
Puncture and aspirate all of the major organs in the torso by using a trocar. A trocar is a long needle attached to a hydro-aspirator that is inserted two inches to the left and two inches above the umbilicus or belly button. Next the cavity is filled with a highly concentrated formaldehyde solution.
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6
Wash the body. Embalmers use special germicidal soap to wash and disinfect the body while it is being embalmed.
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7
Seal the incisions by stitching and applying liquid adhesive to the area. Once the body has been sealed, the incision sites may be wrapped with elastic to further prevent leakage.
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8
Dress the body in preparation for viewing. Some directors are masters at this step while others employ the services of a specialist to add finishing touches to the hair, face and hands.
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