Advanced Embalming - Test 4 Vocab

Colloid

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Denatured Protein

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Enzymes

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Physical Change

A change in the form or state of matter without any change in chemical composition.

Sequestering Agent

A chemical that can 'fence off' or 'tie up' metal ions so they cannot react with other chemicals.

Buffers

A chemical which affects the stabilization of the acid-base (pH) balance withing embalming solutions and in the embalmed tissues.

Carbohydrate

A compound of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen; sugars, starches, and glycogen.

CJD (Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease)

A disease of the central nervous system with unknown etiology assumed to be a slow virus; because of unknown etiology, care givers using invasive procedures use extreme caution.

Antigen

A foreign substance that stimulates the formation of antibodies that react specifically with it.

Accessory Chemical

A group of chemicals used in addition to vascular (arterial) and cavity embalming fluids; includes but not limited to hardening compounds, preservative powders, sealing agents, mold preventatives and pack application agents.

Solvent

A liquid holding another substance in solution.

Microbe (Microorganism)

A minute one celled form of life not distinguishable as to vegetable or animal nature.

Albumin

A protein found in blood plasma.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution having a greater concentration of dissolved solute than the solution to which it is compared.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution having a lesser concentration of dissolved solute than the solution to which it is compared.

Isotonic Solution

A solution having an equal concentration of dissolved solute to that of a standard of reference.

Lysin

A specific antibody acting destructively upon cells and tissues.

Precipitant

A substance bring about precipitation. The oxilates formerly used in water conditioning chemicals are now illegal because of the poisonous nature to the embalmer.

Formaldehyde Demand

Amount of preservatives required to effectively preserve remains depends on the condition of the tissues as determined in the embalming analysis.

Fixative

An agent employed in the preparation of tissues for the purpose of maintaining the existing form of a structure. Many agents are used, the most important one being formalin.

Amine

An organic compound containing nitrogen; any compounds formed from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms by organic radicals. The general formula for primary amines is R-NH2.

Aldehyde

An organic compound containing one or more -CHO groups. The general formula is R-CHO, where R is a hydrocarbon group or hydrogen.

Alcohol

An organic compound containing one or more hydroxyl -OH groups. The general formula for a monohydroxyl alcohol is R-OH, where R is a hydrocarbon group.

Necrobiosis

Antemortem, physiological death of the cells of the body followed by their replacement most cells in the body are completely replaced every 14 years.

Ptomaine

Any one of a group of nitrogenous organic compounds formed by the action of putrefaction bacteria on protiens, indole, skatole, cadaverine, and puterscine.

Adsorption

Assimilation of gas, vapor or dissolved matter by the surface of a solid or liquid.

Saprophytic Bacteria

Bacteria that derive their nutrition from dead organic matter.

Coli-flora

Bacterial inhabitants of the colon.

Infectious Waste

Bloodborne pathogens, blood or bodily fluids exposure, any potentially infectious, contaminated waste associated with the preparation of human remains that constitutes a hazard to humans in the workplace.

Amino Acid

Building blocks of which proteins are constructed, and the end products of protien digestion or hydrolysis. Their basic formula is NH2-CHR-COOH, an amino group, an alpha carbon, any aliphatic or aromatic radical, and a carboxyl group.

Postmortem Chemical Change

Change in the body's chemical composition that occurs after death.(examples: decomposition, change in pH, rigor mortis, postmortem stain and postmortem caloricity).

Postmortem Physical Change

Changes which are not primarily responsible for alterations in the chemical composition and properties of the body substances.

Hardening Compound

Chemical in powder form that has the ability to absorb and to disinfect. Often used in cavity treatment of autopsied cases.

Modifying Agent

Chemicals added to the embalming solution to deal with the varying demands predicated upon the embalming fluid to be used, the type on embalming used and the environment.

Perfuming Agents (Masking Agents)

Chemicals found in embalming arterial formulations having the capability of displacing an unpleasent odor or of altering an unpleasent odor so that it is converted to a more pleasant one.

Deodorant (Masking Agent)

Chemicals having the capability of displacing an unpleasant odor or of altering an unpleasant odor so that it is converted into a more pleasant one.

Formaldehyde

Colorless, strong smelling gas that when used in solution is a powerful preservative and disinfectant; a potential occupational carcinogen.

Jaundice (Icterus)

Conditions characterized by excessive concentrations of bilirubinin the skin and tissues and deposition of excessive bile pigment in the skin, cornea, body fluids, and mucous membranes with the resulting yellow appearance of the patient.

Hemolysis

Destruction of red blood cells that liberates hemoglobin.

Anomalies

Deviation from the normal.

Infectious Disease

Disease caused by the growth of a pathogenic microorganism in the body.

Active Dye (Staining/Cosmetic Dye)

Dyes which aid in restoring a life-like surface pigmentation to a body and also stain the body tissue cells.

Exoenzymes

Enzymes which function outside the bacterial cell wall.

Antibody

Glycoprotien substance developed by the body in response to, and interacting specifically with, an antigen. Also known as immunoglobulin.

Formaldehyde Grey

Grey discoloration of the body caused by the reaction of formaldehyde from the embalming process with hemoglobin to form methyl hemoglobin.

Maceration

In its broadest sense, refers to the moistening, and softening, of any tissue decomposing in a liquid medium.

Turbid

In liquids, muddy with particles of extraneous matter, not clear or transparent.

Anaerobic

In the absence of free oxygen.

Agglutination

Intravascular; the increase of viscosity of blood brought about by the clumping of particulate formed elements in the blood vessels which is a specific type of congealing.

Solution

Liquid containing dissolved substance.

Vehicle

Liquids that serve as a solvent for the numerous ingredients that are incorporated into embalming fluids.

Sealing Agents

Material used to provide a barrier or seal against any type of leakage of fluid or blood.

Passive Transport System

Method by which solutes and or solvents cross through a membrane with no energy provided by the cells of the membrane. In embalming, examples include pressure filtration, dialysis, diffusion and osmosis.

Coliform Organisms

Microorganisms (colon bacillus) found normally in the colon.

Lysosome

Organelle that exists within a cell, but separate from the cell; contains hydrolytic enzymes that break down proteins and certain carbohydrates.

Necrosis

Pathological death of a tissue still a part of the living organism.

Pressure Filtration

Positive intravascular pressure causing passage of embalming solution through the capillary causing passage of embalming fluid from an intravascular to a wall to diffuse with the interstitial fluids, extravascular position.

Physiochemical Postmortem Change

Post death alteration in the body that comprises a physical and chemical change, for example, rigor mortis, wherein there is a change in pH of the tissues and stiffening of the muscles.

Algor Mortis

Post-mortem cooling of the body to the surrounding temperature.

Osmotic Embalming

Preservation of the body's surface (to dry and harden lesions), of excisions and cavities, or of areas that received inadequate arterial preservations. Materials used include surface packs, embalming powders and autopsy gels.

Hydrolysis

Reaction in which water is one of the reactants and compounds are often broken down. In the hydrolysis of proteins, the addition of water accompanied by action of the enzymes results in the breakdown of protein into amino acids.

Filtration

Removal of particles (liquid or solid) from a solution, as it passes through a membrane or other partial barrier.

Autolysis

Self-destruction of cells; decomposition of all tissues by enzymes of their own. Formation without microbial assistance.

Prion

Small proteinaceous infectious agents (particles) which almost certainly do not have a nucleic acid genome and therefore resist inactivation by procedures that modify nucleic acids. Prion disease are often called spongiform encephalopathies because of the post mortem apperance of the brain with a large vacuoles in the cortex and cerebellum.

Adipocere (Grave wax)

Soft whitish crumbly or greasy material the forms upon the postmortem hydrolysis and hydrogenation of they body fats.

Restorative Fluid (Humectant)

Supplemental fluid, used with the regular arterial solution whose purpose is to retain body moisture and retard dehydration.

Fixation

The act of making tissue rigid. The solidification of a compound.

Heme

The non-protein portion of hemoglobin; the red pigment of the hemoglobin.

Osmosis

The passage of solvent from a solution of lesser to one of greater solute concentration when the two solutions are separated by a semipermeable membrane aka hindered diffusion.

Infiltration

The process of seepage or diffusion into the tissue of a substances that are not ordinarily present.

Hemoglobin

The red respiratory portion of the red blood cells; iron containing pigment of red blood cells functioning to carry oxygen to the cells.

Infection

The state or condition in which the body or a part of it is invaded by a pathogenic agent that, under favorable conditions, multiplies and produces injurious effects.

Solute

The substance that is dissolved in a solution.

Endoenzymes

The true metabolic enzymes of bacterium, produced within the bacterial cell well.

Perfusion

To force a fluid through (an organ or tissue), especially by way of the blood vessels, injection during vascular (arterial) embalming.