When a loved one dies, the sight of their dead body is remembered for a long time. Most people want that last memory to be intimate rather than awkward. Embalming fulfils this wish. What is embalming? How do you do it? Why do you do it? Which chemical is used in embalming? How many years can the body be preserved after the embalming process is complete? Have a look
Embalming. This is an unusual procedure. A photograph taken when the deceased was previously healthy is used for embalming. Death is as natural as birth. But it is not in the common man’s nature to digest both equally. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see the faces of lovers who have stood by their backs for so long and suddenly disappear with a calm voice, not only in their minds but also in front of their eyes. Embalming gives form to these sentiments.
Embalming is all about making beautiful decorations and looking attractive to those who are not beautiful. So what is embalming? In some cases, the body has to be kept unburied for several days. Then the dead body should rot. Embalming is done to preserve the body for some time. During this process, some chemicals enter the body. These solvents are called embalming fluids. Formaldehyde, methanol, ethanol, and some other chemicals are used in embalming.
An embalming expert tries to restore the body to its original form based on a photograph of the deceased. If the cheeks go in well, the wax will be golden and puffy. Those who have been sick for many days will have blurred vision. Plastic eyes are naturally fitted in such cases. Wrinkles on the body will be removed. After this process is complete, the dead body takes on a living form. This is also known as face lifting. In countries like America, it takes many days to repatriate the dead bodies of Indians. In the meantime, to prevent the bodies from rotting and to ease the suffering of the relatives, the American officials will move the bodies only after embalming and grooming them.
It is estimated that 2 million tonnes of embalming chemicals are used annually in the United States. In America, embalming is now the leading method of keeping bodies from decaying. 2 crore metric tonnes of embalming fluids and chemicals are sold there every year, so it can be understood that the need for this process has been recognised. Embalming fluids kill microorganisms such as bacteria. That is, these fluids do not act as nutrients for the bacteria at all.
