The following process is intended to preserve bodies without the use
of ice, merely until the time of the funeral may arrive. Sometimes,
this ceremonial may be delayed for three or four days, or until some
member of the family, who may be at some distance, can arrive. It is
also intended to take the place of the cumbrous refrigerator, and
substitute for the labor of removing ice, carrying the box to and
from the residence, the more simple and less laborious process of
injecting the abdominal viscera.
The first step to be taken upon arrival in the chamber of death, is
to create a current of fresh air, by lowering the upper part of a
window, or of a couple of them, if there be no transom light over the
door.
Next, remove the body from the bed and place it on a cooling board;
this board ought to be elevated about one foot at the head; also, the
head of the body should be raised at an angle of about forty-five
degrees; this disposition of the body will allow the fluids contained
in the circulatory system to go down of their own gravitation, and
leave the face, neck, and upper part of the body uncongested, and
therefore free from the purple spots that gradually discolor the face
and neck.
The head is raised on the cooling board at the proper elevation as
directed above, by means of a head rest attached to the cooling
board, and provided with a catch resting on a cog scale, which allows
the rest to be raised or lowered at will.
The mouth must next be firmly closed by means of a ligature, tied
firmly round the head and passed under the apex of the chin; this
ligature should be kept in place until the rigor mortis has firmly
set the jaws together.
A great improvement for the above purpose upon the old way of tying
a cloth or a handkerchief round the head, is to use a band of some
wide, elastic fabric, of which several sizes must be kept on hand,
as when this ligature presses too tightly it leaves upon the face,
especially on fat persons, unsightly wrinkles.
The eyes must next be attended to; the lids must be brought together
firmly, avoiding at the same time interference with the lashes or the
creation of wrinkles of the skin on the corners; then fold up neatly
some small pieces of linen, well saturated in the following solution,
which is also to be used to moisten the face with:
Alum, 8 ounces; Corrosive Sublimate, 2 ounces; Water, 1 gallon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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