—This condition is caused by changes in the blood while in the veins. The blood becomes more fluid in character and the red blood corpuscles become granular and give off their oxygen which escapes through the walls of the veins and carrying with it the haemoglobin or coloring matter of the blood, stains the tissues over the superficial veins a purplish red color. This discoloration only appears on the ventral surface of the body and along the course of the large superficial veins. An excellent example of this discoloration is seen in the drowned subject where almost always all the superficial veins can be easily traced by this discoloration.
Capillary or Venous Congestion.
—This term includes those discolorations either caused by gas distension or by the unskillful injection of fluid into the vascular system. Gas forming in the abdominal or thoracic cavities will so press upon the heart as to empty it of its blood, which will be forced upwards into the large venous trunks of the head, neck and axilla. All embalmers are familiar with the flushed face which often appears when the arterial system has been injected in a too hasty manner. It causes the veins and capillaries of the face and neck to become congested the same as that caused by the formation of gases in the cavities.
CHAPTER XV. ARTERIAL EMBALMING.
Making the First Call.
—There are some pertinent points to consider regarding the procedure at the time the call is received. Many embalmers have some particular rules that govern their inquiries at this time. It is the consensus of opinion among professional men of all kinds that a rule is a good thing to have to cover any regular procedure. It matters not so much as to what the rule is, just so the necessary information can be acquired in a uniform manner, thus systematizing that part of the work and enabling the embalmer to properly prepare for the case at hand before leaving the establishment.
The habit of inquiring about the sex, and age of the person, as well as the cause of death, should be cultivated. The importance of knowing the sex of the person lies in the fact that in some communities different styles of door badges or decorations are more appropriate for one sex than for the other. When the ruling decoration is some form of fresh flowers, this should be ordered before the embalmer leaves for the house of mourning if possible, unless the call should be received at night or in the early hours of the morning, when this item is usually left until the earliest business hour. The age of the person also determines to a great extent the style of decoration which is to be used.
The cause of death is vitally necessary. In some cases, the ordinary contents of the embalmer's grip or hand bag are sufficient for the usual needs. In other cases, extra material of various kinds are necessary, for instance, the rubber floor covering for the carpet in dropsical cases; the sanitary clothes in eruptive contagious diseases; the fumigating outfit in the same diseases, (providing this duty is not performed by the health authorities); and other articles needed only in the treatment of special cases.
After obtaining the above information, examine your grip or hand bag to see that you have all the equipment needed to care for the case in the proper manner. This saves many cases for those who follow these rules, as they are enabled to have just what is needed, and prevents the slighting of a case for which there may be some excuse if the proper materials are not in the outfit. From a professional standpoint, it should be necessary for the embalmer to carry anything he may need, otherwise carelessness may dictate his procedure and disaster may result.
An ordinary case can be attended with the following material[1]:—