Embalming of the corpse

Embalming of the corpse is the complex of procedures over the body of a deceased person before burial in order to delay the decomposition processes. Body embalming is done by injecting embalming solutions.

Corpse embalming: historical background

People have been trying to save the corpses of their relatives from decomposition since the ancient times. In ancient Egypt the practice of embalming the corpse necessary for mummification was the focus of all funeral arrangements. The Egyptians believed in an afterlife in the same body and therefore they had to take care of their corpses and preserve them unchanged. These practices developed over the following centuries and have survived to this day.

Is it necessary to embalm the corpse of the deceased person?

It is necessary to embalm the corpse of the deceased person in case when the burial takes place several days or weeks after death. Embalming prevents the appearance of odors and stains on the body of the deceased person, reduces the risk of infection of others and thus ensures the safety of the health of people present during the funeral service and funeral ceremonies. Also, the procedure is necessary when the body is to be transported to the burial site. Embalming is also a concern for the posthumous beauty of the deceased and the preservation of his lifetime appearance.

Embalming of the corpse in the morgue 

Embalming is carried out in the morgue. The corpse of the deceased person is prepared for the funeral here – the body is abluted, cosmetic procedures are carried out, dressed and embalmed. The embalming of the corpse in the morgue is carried out with the help of injections of special “embalming” solutions. This procedure is included in the list of services of Moscow morgues and is paid. The embalming of the corpse in the morgue is carried out by various methods depending on a number of circumstances (the weight and physiological characteristics of the embalmed person, whether an autopsy has been carried out). After embalming the morgue issues a certificate of implementation of this procedure, which will be needed to obtain permission for funeral services, civil burial rites, transportation of 200 cargo and a number of other procedures.

Price of embalming. How much does it cost to embalm a corpse in a morgue?

The cost of embalming a corpse in a morgue depends on the facility in which this procedure is performed. If a person dies at home or in a hospital, his or her corpse enters a pathological anatomy morgue (PAM). If the death occurred outside the home (for example, in the street) or was the result of violence, the corpse is taken to the forensic morgue. The cost of embalming in these establishments is different.

Price of embalming in PAM:

Ordinary pathological anatomy morgues offer embalming services at the cost in the range of 12.5 thousand to 18 thousand rubles with an average price of 13-14 thousand rubles.

Price of embalming in FME (forensic medical examination):

Prices are higher than in PAM here and range between 14.5 – 23 thousand rubles. The average price is 17 – 19 thousand rubles.

Embalming the corpse at home

Embalming the corpse at home is required very rarely, as the corpses of the deceased people are taken to morgues for preservation and autopsy in a hospital. Getting permission to preserve the corpse at home until burial is very problematic and it is possible to do it in a few cases.

The conditions at home don’t suit to comply with the necessary standards for the procedure - it is cramped here, there is not enough amount of water at hand, there is no air extraction to neutralize the smell difficult to get rid of at home. In addition, the deceased could have an infectious disease and everyone present shall observe certain safety rules. After embalming the body at home, apartment or house shall be disinfected.

Embalming process or how the embalming process is carried out

How embalming is carried out:

• Into the body tissues;
• Into the blood through the artery;
• Into the body cavities.

Injection and cavity methods are used more. The most reliable embalming process is carried out through the artery, but it is used only to embalm unopened corpses.

Liquid for embalming. The solution may include the following substances:

• formalin;
• corrosive sublimate;
• rectified ethyl alcohol;
• acetous potassium;
• zinc chloride;
• glycerol;
• water.

The best embalming agent is formalin solution with corrosive sublimate. 

Balms - fragrant essential oils such as bergamot, lavender, origan and others are added into the solution to neutralize the specific and very unpleasant odor inevitable in the fulguration process. They were used in ancient Egypt and therefore the process got its name from there.