What is embalming?
Embalming is the process of preserving a corpse, typically so that it can be viewed at a funeral ceremony. Generally, when embalming does not occur within several days of a person’s death, their body will begin to decompose. To ensure that this does not happen, preserving chemicals will be used so that the body of the deceased can be viewed at an open-casket funeral. The process of embalming has a very long history, dating back to the Egyptian process of mummification. Though their techniques were quite different from those used today, the effect was the same — to preserve an individual’s body after death. In case of the ancient Egyptians, they believed that the spirit would return to the body after death, so it must remain in good condition. To preserve the corpses, they covered bodies in a drying chemical called natron, and then wrapped them in linen sheets. Today, embalming is done by injecting chemicals directly into the bloodstream to preserve the corpse’s appearance. The most com
Embalming is a process in which a body is drained of blood and gases and pumped with replacement fluids to temporarily slow its disintegration. While embalming is fairly common, it is rarely necessary or required by law — contrary to popularly held opinion. Many consumers, however, choose to have a body embalmed, particularly if there will be a traditional funeral with an open casket for viewing the deceased’s body.
