How long does it take an embalmed body to decompose
An embalming takes place to ward off decomposing. Once buried decomposition can take years to complete. ChaCha on! Source: http://www.chacha.com/question/how-long-does-it-take-an-embalmed-body-to-decompose
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- How long does it take for an embalmed human body to decompose??
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080428181425AA2G48b
- There is no possible way to know. There are so many factors that the affect the rate of decomposition in an embalmed body. Embalming isn't meant to prevent decomp, just slow it down considerably. An embalmed body can last decades, and some ...
- How long does a body take to decompose if it is not embalmed??
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080317180348AAaKwam
- This really depends on a lot of factors. Some bodies can mummify if in the right conditions in nature and don't completely decompose. It also depends on how hot the environment is where the body is decomposing. Also how humid it is. If it i...
- How long does it take for a human body to completely decompose af...?
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070804095320AAabFgu
- When someone's heart stops pumping blood around their body, the tissues and cells are deprived of oxygen and rapidly begin to die. But different cells die at different rates. So, for example, brain cells die within three to seven minutes, w...
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- How long does it take for an embalmed human body to decompose?
- Q: Yes, I know this is a mobid and distasteful question! I've always had a fascination with the whole funeral business (hence, I greatly enjoyed HBO's "Six Feet Under"). I only ask this question because my dear mother died three years ago this month. Her body was embalmed and was prepared for two days' of viewing before burial. I am wondering how long it will be before her body begins to decay. For that matter, her father has been dead for 33 years and her mother for 14. Would their bodies have completely decomposed by now?
- A: It can takes decades, as there are many factors that affect the rate of decomposition, such as how well the person was embalmed, what type of casket and vault they are in, the surrounding climate and so on. I have seen people that have been dead for decades that look fine, and some that were completely decomposed. There are too many factors that affect the rate of decomposition to give a definitive answer to your question.
- How long does it take for an embalmed body to decompose?
- Q:
- A: Embalming affects the process, slowing it somewhat, but does not forestall it indefinitely. Embalmers typically pay the greatest attention to the parts of the body seen by mourners, such as the face and hands. The chemicals that are used in embalming will repel most insects, and slow the process of bacterial putrefaction (the embalming fluid acts to "fix" cellular proteins which means that they cannot act as a nutrient source for bacteria and it also kills the bacteria themselves), but will not preserve a corpse indefinitely. In sufficiently dry environments, an embalmed body may end up mummified and it is not uncommon for bodies in dry vaults to remain preserved to a viewable extent after decades, such as the murdered civil rights activist Medgar Evers. Another case of this would be the body of Lenin, who was kept submerged in a special tank of fluid for decades, almost perfectly preserved[citation needed]. Bodies submerged in peat bogs may become naturally "embalmed", arresting decomposition and resulting in a preserved specimen known as a bog body.The time for the reduction of an embalmed body to be reduced to a skeleton varies greatly. It is important to note that when a body is decomposed before preparation embalming treatment can still be achieved (the arterial system is slow to decay) although it will not restore a natural appearance without extensive cosmetic and reconstruction work and is largely used to control the foul odours associated with decomposition.
- How long does it take an embalmed human corpse to decompose?
- Q: I suppose they still decompose, but it's a little slower. Or is the process totally different from a corpse that has not been embalmed? And while we're at it, could anyone tell me the basics of how a body is embalmed in modern times?By the way, I should probably assure everyone that I'm not an aspiring serial killer/necrophile and that this is all for a short story I'm writing.
- A: Embalming does not prevent decomposition. There are numerous factors that affect the rate of decomposition after embalming.To name a few factors:How well they were embalmed.Depending on medications that the deceased person was taking, can adversely affect the embalming fluid.Type of casket, or vault.The climate conditions and soil conditions. The cold also aids in slowing down the decomposition process.Embalming delays the decomposition process. Some parts decompose more quickly, the eyes, etc. Also remember that the coffin is sealed, and most of the time the coffin is put into a cement vault. When the person is buried, however, they are not sterile, even though embalmed and the bacteria and fungi will eventually multiply and start the decay process. I do not know for sure, but I am sure the soil type is a factor as is the soil temperature. The attached link will explain the embalming history and process.http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6601275/description.html
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