St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-05
Something Of Interest Con-
eerning the Care of Bodies
o. After Death.
Degree Of Perfection Which
; the Embalming Science
Has Reached.
A Singular Case of Mistaken
Identity Is VividlY Re-
called.

shade where each one shall take his
place in the silent halls of death, thou
go not like the quarry slave scourged
to his dungeon. Approach thy grave
like one who wraps the drapery of his
couch about him aud lies down to pleas
ant Dreams"
Wrapping the drapery of ones couch
around him may be all right, from a
poetic standpoint. but in these piping
times of prose the usual way of ap-
preaching the grave is in neat, plain
coffin OF casket, and this brings us to the
consideration of undertakers. who are a
potent factor in smoothing the rugged
way that leads to the cemetery. The
business of undertaking, or the caring
for the remains of the dead, while most
grim and CHASTITY Ill its natre, is one
that requires great deal of tact, judg-
ment and business capacity. Like poets,
uldertakerS are born, not made, and
the man who would make success of
this business must be sure that he has
a natural calling or bent in that direc-
ton. There is an inherent trait in
nearly all human kind that causes man
to shrink i'll the presence of the dead,
and an undertaken, to be good one,
must be proof against any feeling
of fear or trepidatiOn-in other
words, he must not be chicken-hearted.
There has been great progress made IN
undertaking during the past twenty
years, and the crude methods of the
past have been entirely abandoned for
newer and better ones. The art of en-
balming or preserving the bodies of the
dead has been brought To high state of
perfection. and the remains of loved
ones can be kept for months and years
in condition bordering on naturalnesS
by the processes now obtaining. In
days gone by it was the rule. especially
in the summer months, to preserve
bodies by keeping or placing them in
an Ice box. This method, while it
served the purpose to certain
extent, was cumbersome, and sub
ject to the further objection
that the idea was disgusting to human
SenSibilities. In the East the ice box is
still retained, but in the West, where
undertaking appears to have been
brought to a higher degree of perfec-
tiOh, the neater and cleaner methods Of
embalming has been generally substl-
tuted.
. Embalming
consists in injecting into certain arteries
of the human body and into the stom-
aeh, lungs and heart, quantity of
fluid which possesses preSerYative
properties. Every undertaken pos
seSseS kit of embalming instruments,
which he takes with him when called
upon to take charge of and prepare
remains for burial. In addition to
the instruments, the case contains
from three to half dozen bottles of the
fluid. Generally from two to three
bottles of the fluid is injected, depend
ing on the size of the person to be em-
banned. A long, sharp pointed tube is
inserted down through the flesh and into
the stomach. This tube is connected
with an air pump, one branch.Ot which
is placed in the fluid. By COMPRISING
the bulb of the air pump the fluid passes
from the bottle into the body of the sub
ject. After couple of bottles of the
fluid are injected In this way. and. if the
remains are to be completely embalmed,
say for shipment. certain quantity of
the fluid is injected through two
arteries situate in the groinS,
reaching in this way every pOr-
ton of the anatomy. The arteries
are selected rather than the veins for
the reason that they are larger and also
that they contain the impure blood of
the system. A cloth is:saturated with the
fluid and placed about the face, where
it is allowed to remain over night.
When removed the face is found free
from discolOratiOn and Is life-like in APP
pearance. There are hundreds of Varie-
ties of embalming fluids manufactured
throughout the land, the manufacturer
in each instance claiming that his fluid
has points of superiority O7er all others.
Many of the undertakers make their
own fluid from formula which they
have originated themselves. As the
condition and appearance of the re-
ma MS of the dead depend almost al
together on the quality of the fluid used
it will be seen how all-important
it is that the very best Of this liquid IS
secured. Of course, great deal de-
ponds on the undertaken himself in this
connection, and the knowledge and skill
he has acquired during many years of
close application to his business. Moth
ing will excuse a bunglug job of I'M
dertaking, for, as a rule. people who are
having such work done are in no frame
of mind to pardon or overlook any de-
feet, however slight. The relatives and
friends of a deceased person, however
unreasonable it may appenr, often re-
quire the undertaken 10 make the dead
show up better in death than in life,
and the most successful undertaken Is
he who can bring the smile to the lip
and the rosy glow of health to the
cheek, and there are many skillful prac-
titiOnerS who claim to be aOle to do this.
Few people have any idea of the yari-
ETY. or cost of collins and casketS to be
4 Il ol-s, Oh
are luXuries which mankind shun unless
death stalks i'll and bids them 90 seek
a marrow HOuse.o
The difference between coffin and
casket is the difference between tene-
ment house and the brown stone front.
The poor inhabit the one, the rich the
other. Collins conform to the shape of
the body and range in price from s. up
To s25. The s. affair is a common pine
stained box, suitable for paupers to
t-rattIe their bones over the stones" 1t
as devoid of any Ornamentation, not
even metal handles relieving the monot-
ony of its dreary dark sides.
ucA rosewood coffin nicely lined and
trimmed will cost about S25. and pre-
SCENTS very respectable appearance.
uIiaSketS differ from collins, being par
abel Ealong the sides. with the ends
either square or rounded. They range
in price all the way from S25 to 300, de-
pending on the material of their con-
straction and the kind of ornamental
ton used. There are three classes of
baskets, plain, cloth-covered and metal
lie. The plain are of pine, maple, oak
ur cedar, and the cl0th-eovered are sim
liar, but are wrapped with white or
black cloth. The last named are those
more in general use, and on the whole
present the hands0mest appearance.
A cedar casket covered with black
broadcloth, with silver or gold orna-
mentation. will cost from 800 to 300,
depending on the elaboration and quail
itv of workmanship. Cedar baskets are
the only wooden Baskets that will with
stand the ravagps of time and the
dampness of the earth. In this respect
they are almost as good as the metallic
caskets, and have the additional advan-
tages that they are lighter, prettier and
less expensive.
The metallic casket is made of sheet
metal. and is airtieht. 1t is used prin-
cipally by the very wealthy and in
cases where remains are To he shipped
80 -