Analysis Of Modern Morticians, The Stigma About Death

Modern Morticians, the Stigma Around Death, and Embalming
Attending an open casket funeral and peering into the final resting place of someone you may have known, or even loved, can be disconcerting for a number of reasons. The waxy look of an embalmed corpse, the spectacle made by those grieving over it, the pity or sadness one feels for the departed, and the reminder and promise of one’s own demise looming around the corner is enough to make any sane person frightened or uncomfortable with the idea of death. People of today’s Western societies have a nearly toxic relationship with death because of the stigma surrounding it created by the funeral industry, which has come to be more concerned about the money earned during a mourning process,
Today, if someone were to die in a Western household, the general reaction would be to get the body to a morgue as quickly humanly possible, as to keep the unsightly relic of an ended human life out of sight and mind, or to keep any “death diseases” away from the living. Generally, hugs and kisses are not shared with the deceased, and preparation of the body for a funeral is definitely out of the hands of most Western families. When the funeral does commence, the mood is, more often than not, somber and dark. It’s as if individuals are being taught from an early age that death is the worst possible fate one can meet, and that the dead must be sterilized and not handled. Meanwhile in other societies around the world, death is treated as a celebration of one’s success in life. In Madagascar, a ritual known as famadihana includes a group dance after the exhumation of the deceased. The remains are wrapped in fine silk, sprayed with wine or perfume and carried overhead during festivities (April Holloway). It is not to say that others should be quite so intimate with their dead, however, perhaps something could be taken from such a display of love and joy, and be applied to the current stiff and grief filled ceremonies sometimes seen
Early morticians were famously known for embalming the dead, which is accomplished by draining blood from the veins and injecting several gallons of chemical solution into an artery. The solution spreads throughout the body and soaks into all tissues, retarding decay (Funeral source 2). “During the ‘Dark Ages’ in Europe,(...) great advances were being made in medicine and bodies were needed for dissection [to further scientists’ understanding of the human anatomy]. For this sole purpose, embalming was practiced and techniques were perfected.” (Curtis D. Rostad 5). “Although embalming dates back to the ancient Egyptians, in the U.S. it began during the Civil War when it became necessary to preserve the bodies of dead soldiers for the trip home.” (Funeralwise). “Dr. Thomas Holmes received a commission as a captain in the Army Medical Corps and was assigned to Washington, D.C. where he reportedly embalmed over 4000 soldiers and officers. When he realized the commercial potential of embalming, Holmes resigned his commission and began offering embalming to the public for $100.” (Curtis D. Rostad 6). Morticians, or undertakers, stepped in with their embalming fluids and caskets, took over the responsibilities that pertained to dozens of separate careers relating to death and death care, and began selling their package services to the public.