Funeral History (NBE Review)

the design was patented in 1848 as a form-fitting, airtight metallic coffin designed to improve ability to preserve the body; also had a glass plate to allow for viewing of the face

Fisk metallic coffin

German physician who performed embalming without evisceration, injecting lye into the veins in the 1600's

Gabriel Clauderus

Greek (484 - 424) who is known as the "Father of History"

Herodotus

patented the process of embalming with arsenic-alcohol

J. Anthony Gaussardia

received the first patent for a metallic coffin

James A. Gray

Frenchman who authored a book on embalming in 1834

Jean Gannal

New York embalmer credited with developing a treatment plan in 1912 that applies to the systematic treatment of cases requiring repair of injuries due to disease or trauma (restorative art)

Joel Crandall

the founder of the "Coffin Shop - Warehouse" in New York State - one of the first of its kind

John L. Dillion

established a school in Cincinnati

Joseph H. Clarke

established a school in Cincinnati (1882)

Joseph H. Clarke

the Egyptian head or chief undertaker

Kher-heb

groups formed in the Middle Ages by lay persons to bury the dead and to pray for the souls of the faithful departed

Leagues of Prayer

Italian artist (1452 - 1519) drew anatomical plates and dissected over 50 cadavers, as well as created the Last Supper

Leonardo Da Vinci

the ancient Roman goddess of corpses and funeral

Libitina

the head undertaker in ancient Rome; the secular role model for today's funeral director; conducted business at the temple of Libitina where deaths were also registered

Libitinarius

(1822 - 1885) known as the "Father of Bacteriology," abiogenesis, fermentation, pasteurization, the germ theory disease and more

Louis Pasture

Italian (1628 - 1694) known as the "Father of Histology" (capillaries - 1600's)

Marcello Malpighi

Italian sculptor (1475 - 1564) who was responsible for the creation of the Sistine Ceiling

Michelangelo

the Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead

Osiris

the Catholic belief that those whose souls are not perfectly cleansed undergo a process of cleansing before they can enter heaven

Purgatorial Doctrine

the Egyptian sun god

Rah

developed the "Corpse cooler - cooling board"

Robert Frederick & C.A. Trump

created/patented the trocar

Samuel Rogers

introduced the idea of the use of cloth to cover more luxurious of burial receptacles

Samuel Stein

was a cloth covered coffin DESIGNED FOR EX-PRESIDENT ULYSSES S. GRANT in 1885 that helped elevate acceptance of cloth covered caskets

Style 'E' state coffin

Between 1540 - 1745, this sole agency was permitted to embalm and perform anatomical dissections in the city of London

barber-surgeons

Hebrew term meaning flesh

basar

term was given to a hand stretcher on which the uncoffined body was carried to the grave; served as the forerunner to today's hearse

bier

the practice of draining a quantity of blood to cure the illness

blood-letting

a generic term used in America to designate all burial receptacles as new variations of the coffin being offered

burial case

created in the 1800's in London by the 'poor' people as a means to afford funerals; costs were shared by others via weekly collections; forerunners of industrial insurance

burial club

an outer enclosure for caskets placed in the grave; originally intended to prevent grave robbery

burial vault

outer enclosure for caskets placed in the grave; originally intended to prevent grave robbery

burial vault

jars made of alabaster, limestone, basalt, clay and other materials used by the early Egyptians to store viscera of the deceased

canopic jars

French term meaning 'jewel box' or container for something valuable; came into dominant use for burial receptacles in 1890's in America; rigid container designed for encasement of human remains, usually constructed of wood, metal, fiberglass, plastic, or like material and ornamented/lined with fabric

casket

originated in ancient Rome as excavated cemeteries cut out of soft rock for the tombs of wealthy Christians; later became a place for religious rites to avoid persecution

catacombs

the name of the raised platform (with or without a canopy) used for a body to lie in state

catafalque

ancient Egyptian belief that the soul of the deceased would make a 3000 year journey and return to the body; once reunited the whole man would live with the gods; this belief created the need for embalming

circle of necessity

the Greek word 'kofinos'; utilitarian container designed to hold human remains, often anthropoidal in shape

coffin

embalming equipment that utilized a portable table on which a body was placed while the corpse cooler was in use; based on principle of ice refrigerator and later became the embalming table when embalming was done in the home of the deceased

cooling board

embalming equipment utilized an ice chest that was placed over the torso of the body in order to slow down the process of decomposition prior to the funeral

corpse cooler

funeral procession

cortege

method of disposition of the dead body via fire; first attributed to the ancient Greeks

cremation

master of ceremonies and director of the ancient Roman funeral procession

designator

the name of the master of ceremonies and director of the ancient Roman funeral procession

designator

Cremation is the disposing of the dead body via ____; first attributed to the ancient _______

fire; Greeks

in the Middle Ages, this wake also served as a feast to welcome the principal heir to his new estate; for the ancient Greeks, this feast ended the fast of the bereaved

funeral feast

this individual provided services of organizing/facilitating funeral details as an occupation

funeral undertaker

Roman term for a torch lit parade

funeralis

term is Latin for torchlight procession; word for funeral is derived from this

funeralis

individual provided supplies/ merchandise (i.e., door badges, carriages, etc.) to funeral undertakers who were dealing directly with the public; filled the role of the middle man

furnishing undertaker

the apparatus used to inject arterial fluid during the vascular (arterial) phase of the embalming process; it relies on gravity to create the pressure required to deliver the fluid (0.43 pounds of pressure per foot of elevation)

gravity injector

the method for applying a continuous flow of embalming solution via manual manipulation of a handheld mechanism

hand pump

today applies to a vehicle specially designed to transport casketed remains; derived from a French word; originally a stationary framework of wood to hold candles and decorations placed on the coffin; aka funeral coach

hearse

Egyptian writing, Greek literally meaning "sacred signs"; these inscriptions were written on Egyptian coffins and burial tombs

hieroglyphics

a specialty connected with funerals in colonial America; called personally upon those expected to attend funerals; often a municipal appointment

inviter to funerals

the Greek name for columns

kiones

became an occupational specialty in many larger US cities by the end of the 18th century; predecessor to the undertaker

layers out of the dead

due to the fear of pre-mature burial, many early American coffins were designed and patented with a method to alert the living if someone was buried alive

life signals

this type of burial was an ancient Viking custom in which the deceased was placed in his boat with items necessary for the spirit to maintain the position held on earth, all was cremated and the pyre then covered with earth

mound burial

the Greek name for temple-like tombs

naidia

salt found in the dry lake beds of the desert was used by the early Egyptians in preparation of bodies; bodies immersed in this product (believed to be composed of chloride, carbonate, and sulfate of sodium and nitrate of potassium and sodium) were dehydrated thus preventing decay

natron

Hebrew term meaning breath

nefesh

this design was an innovation introduced to square sided caskets in order to reduce the excess space and weight, particularly of metal caskets; characterized by an "S" curvature

ogee design

the name of the ancient Roman embalmers who were either slaves or employees of Libitinarius

pollinctores

the name of the crier, a special funeral functionary in ancient Rome who summoned participants to a public funeral

praeco

Due to fear that the dead might be jealous, the ancient Romans and Greeks hired persons (often women) to shriek, tear their hair and rend garments, etc. in order to insure adequate display of emotion

professional mourners

term applied to systematic treatment of cases requiring repair of injuries due to disease or trauma; originated as derma surgery and demi-surgery, and it was important for creation of a proper 'memory picture

restorative art

early Egyptian massive coffins cut from a single mass of stone to protect remains from grave robbers; when opened, bodies inside were found to be in a state of decay

sarcophagus

the church caretaker who had responsibility for church property, ringing of bells and digging of graves in the churchyard cemetery; during the Middle Ages most funeral practices were under the direction of these church officials

sexton

the name given to a mortuary fee paid to insure entrance of the decedent's soul into heaven

soul shot

the Greek name for shafts created from upright slabs of stone

stelae

term originated when some of the original graduates of early embalming courses gave up regular employment with a single firm to provide embalming service to firms which had no trained embalmer

trade embalmer

craftsmen who entered the field of undertaking; their importance increased as cities grew and material resources of the townspeople increased

tradesmen undertaker

the Greek name for square-cut tombs

trapazae

the long hollow tube patented in 1878 and used by embalmers to inject fluids into cavities and remove excess liquids

trocar

originated as an ancient Hebrew practice in which family and friends would sit with the deceased as a precaution against premature burial; this continued as an act of piety in the Middle Ages (aka vigil for the dead)

wake

developed the "Life Preserving Coffins"

Christian Eisenbrandt

the name of the first mortuary school

Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science

two men who were associated with early mortuary transportation

Crane and Breed

the Greek god of wine, out of which came a cult philosophy about the Afterlife

Dionysius

the author of the "Undertakers Manual" and well-known educator of the late 1800's

Dr. Auguste Renouard

Dutchman (1665 - 1717) recognized as the father of modern embalming (world)

Dr. Frederick Ruysch

Scottsman (1728 - 1793) who is recognized for his work in continued preparation of anatomical specimens; in 1775 embalmed the body of the wife of Martin van Butchell - which was kept on display, attired in fine garments, in a glass-lidded case in his sitting room; Butchell ultimately remarried

Dr. John Hunter

American (1796 - 1843) who translated Gannal's book on embalming and recommended creosote as a disinfectant for embalming

Dr. Richard Harlan

the Father of American embalming (1817 - 1900)

Dr. Thomas Holmes

Englishman (1578 - 1657) who injected colored solutions into the arteries of a frog to support his theories on the circulation of blood

Dr. William Harvey

Scottsman (1718 - 1783) recognized for his work in embalming medical cadavers and generally considered to be the originator of the injection technique or preserving human remains

Dr. William Hunter

in Greek mythology, this was known as the Greek version of heaven

Elysian fields

Roman's influence that led to a cult/ philosophical way of life

Epicureous

established a school in Boston (1907)

A. Johnson Dodge

introduced the new ogee casket design

A.C. Barstow

Dutchman (1632 - 1723) who is known as the "Father of Microbiology"/microscope

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

the Egyptian god of embalming said to be of human form with the head of a jackal

Anubis

a shift in the burial shroud and coffin lining from linen to wool; heavy fines were assessed for violation; not repealed until 1814

Burial in Woolen Act of 1666

discovered formaldehyde (1868)

Butlerov & Hofmann

this 1840's report summarized the unsanitary conditions in London created by intramural burials, the high cost of funerals and the 1st use of the death certificate

Chadwick's Report

the Greek god who served in the capacity of ferry man for the boat on the River Styx; a coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased as his/her fare across the River Styx

Charon

early Roman view of the afterlife which emphasizes the soul as the vital principle; the soul at death hovered around the place of burial and required constant attention of the descendants to be happy; neglect would bring evil upon them

animistic view

an human shaped, early coffin

anthropoid