If the body of the deceased has not been embalmed, an open casketfuneral must be held one to three days after death.
If the body is embalmed, it’s typically recommended to have the funeralwithin one or two weeks. However, there are also techniques that can preservethe body for a month or more.
When a persondies, decomposition of the body begins right away. As decomposition occurs, theshape, color, and texture of the body can change. Therefore, if a bodydecomposes too far, an open casket funeral is not possible.
The main factorthat determines when an open casket funeral can be held is whether or not thebody has been embalmed. Embalming is a process in which chemicals are injectedinto the arteries, tissues, and organs of a body to forestall decomposition.
Open Casket without Embalming
If a body hasnot been embalmed, decomposition will begin right away. If the body is storedwith proper refrigeration and care at a funeral home, it can be shown at anopen casket funeral for approximately two to three days after death.
However, mostfuneral homes recommend having the open-casket funeral within 24-hours of deathto ensure the body is presentable for viewing.
Thoughembalming is performed on most bodies that are buried in the United States,some people choose to skip the embalming process. The most common reasons forleaving a body un-embalmed include:
- Religious Beliefs:
Some religions, such as the Muslim, Bahá’í, andOrthodox Jewish faiths, prohibit embalming.
- Cremation:
If the body is to be cremated after the open casket funeral, some people opt to forgo the embalming to decrease the funeral costs. However, this practice is only practical if the funeral is held one to three days after death.
- Environmental Impact:
Though embalming has become noticeably less toxic throughout the years, the formaldehyde-based embalming solution is still known to be carcinogenic and have detrimental impacts on the environment.
For green burials, embalming is typically not allowed.
Open Casket with Embalming
In the UnitedStates, most bodies presented during open casket funerals have been embalmed.Embalming is a popular choice for open-casket funerals because it delaysdecomposition, thereby extending the window in which the funeral can be held.
For typicalembalming practices, it is recommended that the funeral be held within one-twoweeks of the death. Though embalming can last up to a month, the longer onewaits, the higher the chances that decomposition will make a viewingimpossible.
Unfortunately,embalming is not an exact science. While morticians can predict how long a bodywill be presentable for viewing following embalming, there are always variablesthat can alter the overall timeline. Several factors that play a role in howlong embalming is able to forestall the body’s degradation include:
- The success of the embalming.
As discussed below, embalming involves a chemicalsolution being inserted into the arteries, tissues, and organs of a body. Ifthe fluid does not reach certain parts of the body, or the bodily fluids arenot completely drained, the areas of the body without embalming fluid willdeteriorate at a normal rate.
The chemical composition of the embalming fluid canalso affect how effective the embalming process is. If an incorrect compositionis used, it can be detrimental to the integrity of the body.
As such, in rare instances, an unsuccessful embalming canruin the chances of an open casket ceremony.
- The cause of death.
If the deceased died from deteriorating health ortrauma, embalming may be more difficult.
Embalming cannot undo any deterioration or trauma thathas already occurred; as such, if the body began to deteriorate prior to death,then embalming will not be able to delay decomposition as long.
- The use of refrigeration.
For funerals that are held more than two weeks afterdeath, it is recommended to use a funeral home that also has refrigerationoptions (not all funeral homes have refrigerated storage on site).
Refrigeration can work in tandem with the embalming tofurther delay decomposition.
In cases whereyou know that the funeral will be delayed beyond the two week mark, it isimportant to let the mortician know prior to the embalming so that they cantake additional steps to prevent decomposition.
When a funeralis delayed, morticians may be able to perform the following tasks to elongatethe possible timeframe for an open casket funeral:
- Focus on applying embalming fluidthroughout the body.
If a mortician knows that a funeral will be heldimmediately, they will typically use less embalming fluid to save on time andcosts. They may also spend less time ensuring that the full body has beenreached by the embalming fluid, as it is not essential given the timeframe.
However, if they are aware that the body must staypreserved for a longer amount of time, they can focus on ensuring that theentire body has been reached by the embalming fluid.
- Refrigerate the body.
As stated, refrigeration can help slow the naturaldecomposition of the body. When refrigerating a body for a long period of time,it is important for the mortician to check the body regularly to check fordamage to the body from the low temperatures.
- Rehydrate key areas of the body.
Especially if a body has been embalmed andrefrigerated for a long amount of time, it is important for the mortician toregularly rehydrate the body’s extremities, including the fingertips, ears, andtoes, along with the nape of the neck, cheeks, and forehead.
Rehydration helps keep the body presentable andlifelike for the viewing.
Thesetechniques are used in a myriad of cases, including delayed funerals, openinvestigations, and medical donations. In fact, bodies utilized for medicaldonation have been known to last anywhere from six months to two years withoutnoticeable degradation.
If you areplanning an open casket funeral, it is always best to discuss your options withyour funeral director. In instances where the funeral is delayed, the funeraldirector can provide you with the likelihood of an open casket funeral, and discussalternative options if an open casket funeral is not possible.
The Embalming Process
Embalming is aprocess of temporary body preservation. It is typically used to preserve a bodyfor open casket viewings and funerals, long-distance transportation, and/or formedical and scientific purposes.
Embalminginvolves draining the body fluids and injecting the arteries, tissues, andorgans with chemical solutions. Embalming is usually accompanied by preparingof the body for viewing.
When a mortician embalms a body, they use the following process:
- Step 1
The mortician massages the body to remove any remaining rigor mortis. The mortician will also apply a cream to keep the skin soft and pliable, especially around the face.
- Step 2
The mouth will be wired or sutured shut, and the eyelids and lips will be glued (when needed) to keep them closed.
- Step 3
Any orifices are then plugged to prevent fluids from escaping. This is important for both the embalming process and for the viewing and/or transportation of the body.
- Step 4
The mortician then performs arterial embalming. In arterial embalming, the embalming fluid is injected into an artery while the blood is drained from a nearby vein or from the heart.
The blood that is removed from the body is poured down the drain. Arterial embalming ensures that any arteries and veins within the body are filled with embalming solution instead of blood.
- Step 5
Step 5. The mortician then performs cavity embalming. The mortician uses a trocar (a pointed, metal tube attached to a suction hose) to puncture each organ in the body.
Once the organ is punctured, the bodily fluids and gasses within the organ are removed, and the organ is filled with an embalming fluid known as “cavity fluid.”
- Step 6
Any punctures from the embalming process are closed.
- Step 7
The mortician dresses the body, styles the hair, and adds makeup to give the body a more lifelike appearance. Cosmetology is also used to hide any discoloration or markings from death.
There are noState or Federal laws in the United States that require embalming for burial.However, five states, including California, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, and NewJersey, legally require that a body be embalmed to cross state lines byairplane or train.
Embalming isnot required for private viewings or home funerals. However, some funeral homesrequire that a body be embalmed for open casket ceremonies. If you are havingan open casket ceremony, talk to the funeral home about their embalmingrequirements prior to committing.
In the UnitedStates, embalmment typically costs $200-700 dollars.
The cost ofembalming is dependent on local rates, as well as the size and condition of thebody. The cost of the embalming includes the chemicals and labor hours required to perform theembalmment. If you have a tight budget for your funeral, choosing not to embalmcan save you a good amount of money.
Open Casket Funerals
According tothe Cambridge Dictionary, an open casket funeral is “a funeral at whichthe coffin is open and people can see the dead person’s body.” As part ofan open casket funeral, the casket is usually placed at either the front of theroom or in a side viewing area so that the funeral attendees are able to paytheir respects.
Open casketfunerals can be run in a number of different ways, depending on the preferenceof the family and the deceased. Some open casket funerals will keep the casketopen throughout the service, while others will have the casket open only untilthe start of the funeral service.
An open caskettypically only involves opening the top half of the casket to allow mourners tosee the head and upper torso of the deceased.
Open casketfunerals are used to help mourners find closure after the death of a loved one.Viewing the deceased can help mourners come to terms with the death and seethat their loved one is not suffering or in pain.
For moreinformation about open casket funerals, see the Full Meaning of Open Casket Funerals.
A Brief History of Embalming and the United States
The process ofembalming dates back thousands of years to when ancient Egyptians removed theorgans and blood from the body as part of their mummification process.
In the early1800s, Europeans began to experiment with arterial embalming to preserve the bodiesused in anatomical studies.
When the UnitedStates was founded, embalming was not a known practice. When you died, youwould be interred without any preservative chemicals or cosmetics. While somepeople would be buried in a cemetery with a headstone, many others were buriedat home without the pomp and circ*mstance we associate with funerals today.
When the CivilWar broke out, many families wanted to have the bodies of their loved onesreturned from the battlefield. However, given the lack of refrigeration at thetime, the bodies would decompose long before they reached their destination.
Opportunisticindividuals, upon learning of the embalming process in Europe, began performing“field embalmings” on fallen soldiers. The first American embalmersused a variety of chemicals, including arsenic, creosote, mercury, turpentine,and alcohol. Due to the unregulated nature of these embalmings, the resultswere often unpredictable, and the process could be dangerous.
Opportunisticfield embalmers became so prevalent that in March 1865, the War Departmentissued an order requiring “all who embalm or remove bodies of deceasedofficers or soldiers to obtain a special license.
Thoughembalming was prevalent on the battlefield, it was not incorporated into normalfuneral practices until the death of Abraham Lincoln. When Lincoln wasassassinated, his body was embalmed; one of the first to be embalmed outside ofthe war.
Lincoln’sembalmed body was transported in an open casket “funeral train” toits final resting place in Illinois. For nearly three weeks, Americans lined upfor a glimpse of their former President’s body on its journey.
For mostAmericans, this was the first time they had seen an embalmed body. No one hadpreviously seen a corpse with lifelike color and peaceful features. Lincoln’sembalming had a lasting impression on many Americans, and it set the practice ofembalming in motion.
Today, the United States and Canada are the only countries where embalming is considered a routine practice. However, as the popularity of green burials and cremations continues to rise, it is possible that embalming will begin to become a thing of the past.
Writer: Taylor Steed
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Sources:
https://www.joincake.com/blog/what-is-embalming/
https://beyondthedash.com/blog/funeral-planning/how-long-can-you-delay-a-funeral/6112
