The process of embalming bodies, as at first practised, was founded
on the principle of complete immersion of the body into some bath
composed of antiseptics, which, by being absorbed by the system,
rendered the tissues imputrescible, much in the same way as we now
preserve anatomical preparations by immersing in alcohol.
At the commencement of this century a process of embalming was
brought out in Europe, and succeeded very well for some time;
but after a certain period, Mr. Gannal and others inaugurated a
new system of preserving the dead, and the process of maceration
was abandoned, and has not since been revived to any extent. The
following is the manner of treatment to which a body was subjected in
the above process:
The body was washed thoroughly with soap and water; then the abdomen
was opened and the sternum raised; the thoracic as well as the
abdominal viscera was then removed altogether, as also the brain.
The body was then immersed for one week in a strong solution of alum
and nitrate of potash; the body was then taken out and the cavities
filled with tow and powdered arsenic; the bowels, lungs, liver, etc.,
in fact all the viscera, were buried separately.
The body was then completely buried in dry sand for the space of
ten days, to absorb all the moisture contained in the tissues, and
was then dressed in the funeral habiliments and placed in a leaden
coffin, hermetically sealed; a small, thick glass, immediately over
the face, allowed the friends to obtain a view of the features.
This process has been found objectionable for a good many reasons; in
the first place, the eviscerating of the body is a repulsive feature
of it, and not to be had recourse to when less barbarous means are at
hand; secondly, the skin of the body assumes a yellow and wrinkled
appearance, which, if it does not entirely destroy the cast of the
features, alters the general appearance so much as to render them
very different from the natural appearance.
At any rate, the method of preserving bodies by the above means has
entirely fallen into disuse, and as, with our perfected improvements
in this branch of the undertaking business, we are able to do
away with the most repugnant features of it, this system has been
superseded by the less objectionable and more effective arterial
injections.