The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-26
THE ART OF EMBALMING.

THE ART OF EMBALMING.
The Moder~ Process Inferior to That Used
in Ancient Egypt, but Gaining in
Favor.
Two men sat silent in handsomely
furnished store on a leading New York
thoroughfare. A small portion of the
furniture and ornaments pertained to
the living, the reSainder to the dead.
1t was an undertaker's establishment,
and the younger but more solemn per
son was a professional embalmer. In
answer to the reporters questions he
said:
General Grants embalming was
work of the finest kind-something to
be proud of. 1t was done by the leader
of our profession, and with the best
materials in the market. There are
many mortuary directors who profess
to be embalmors, and who know a
smattering of the art; but they are I'M
worthy of the name. Real embalmers
are few in number, there not being
more than ten in the entire country.
To be one an undertaken must have
sufficient knowledge Of surgery, medi-
cine and chemistry, and must also have
considerable artistic sense. This makes
a rare combination.
The chief element in embalming
consists in removing large portion of
therefor some powerful antiseptic fluid.
Many experiments have been made in
respect to these liquids. l can hardly
recall how many preparations have
been tried. Brine salicylic acid, diluted
creosote, solutions of sulphate of zinc,
and the iodide and chloride of that
metal You see, the fluid used must be
nearly color&is or else verging on
blood color, and must not cause dis
coloraton. This precludes the use of
salts of copper, iron. manganese and
pchromium, and also compounds OF sui
phur.
"a solution of chloride of zinc was
at one time in vogue, but in several
instances it produced a CHASTITY blush
tinge, and 50 went entirely out of
fashion. The so-caIled Egyptian fluid
was a standard preparation for years.
1t was so named by its manufacturer,
who claimed it was the same LIQUID as
was used in preparing the mummies of
Egypt. 1t was improved upon, how
ever, by some American chemists. who
now have practical monopoly in sup
plying embalmers with the fluid. Their
manufacture is STYLED the Oriental fluid,
and is made in Boston.
in embalming, large vein and
large artery are opened. and a small
force-pump, connected with vessel
containing the antiseptic fluid, is APP
piled. The process requires from two
| to four hours. The natural movement
of the circulation is followed. As the
| fluid enters the yessg the blood is
forced out. The lonaer the time the
better the result. A short time enables
the operator TO remove the blood from
ONLY the LARGER vessels. In a LONGER
pcriod the find passes from the LARGER
to fine smaller vessels and into the
cauillaries This djstends the skin and
produces a EfeIke anpearance.
The cost of the process is from S15
inward Embalminp crows more com
mon every wear, In the past thirty
months our establishment has embalmed
abont two hundred subjects. We are
still behind the ancients in our work.
In the main. a subject well treated lasts
three wears. This is a fair average. 1t
would he larger if if were not for occa-
s;onaI cases in which fine antisentic
Iionids seem 70 lose their efficiency,
There is however n DISTINGUISHED
chemist in italy who claims TO petrify
q subject by usinc some siIicate nren.
aratiGn Tbouoh I have NOT seen the
process emnIoyed vet 7 have been
shown snecimens which resembled NET.
ritications
"A second duty Of the embalmer is
the same as that of an undertaken. ia
na aH 'io ssjbi9 T%oro 10 49, ,'i j.,
u ~ al 90 O3s',o % 4l;n So -
i