Nevertheless, with all the precautions that could be taken to preserve these parts, in employing quantities of spirits of wine, aromatic powders, and other proper drugs, I have strong doubts that they would soon corrupt, and even before they could arrive at the place destined for their sepulture. Finally, when the body is to be publicly exposed on the bed where it died, the face should be washed with spirits of wine, and with true balm, refreshing it frequently; but when it is necessary to expose it on a bed of parade to remain several days, it is commonly sufficient to mould it in wax, and to show only its external figure, during the time that the body is upon the bed embalmed in a coffin. But, when the body itself of the deceased is exposed, it is necessary, in the first place, to paint and powder the hair or wig with a fine powder of pleasant odour; shave the beard, if there be any, fill the mouth with powder and cotton, to elevate and protrude the cheeks, to which may be applied a little rouge, as well as to the lips; if the natural eyes have been removed, replace them with artificial eyes; force perfumed cotton up the nostrils; the nose may be refreshed with a linen cloth liberally endued with true balm, during the time that the subject is withdrawn from public view; thus, the mouth, and generally all the parts that ought to be seen, will be in their natural state, to the end that they may be the more readily recognised. For this reason, there ought not to be made any scarifications, as it is expressly remarked in the library of Herodotus. “Each part,” says he, “is so perfectly preserved, that the hair of the eyebrows and eyelids, and even all the form of the body so well retain their appearance, that the figure and natural disposition is known with facility.”
But, for all other subjects, those which are to be transported, you will deviate as little as possible from the following prescriptions. After having emptied the cranium by means of a large trepan opening made in the back part of the head; having removed the viscera, the throat, the membranes; scarified the fleshy parts, and having purged them of blood and other serosities, the corpse should be placed in one of the lotions, or in one of the brines described in chapter fifth, the materials of which are to be chosen according to the place and season of the year; and, after some days of maceration, the subject being well drained, insinuate into the cavity of the cranium new melted wax; after which, replace the piece of cranium removed by the trephine; sew up the skin, and fill likewise the chest and abdomen with melted wax, and sew them up; afterwards fill the scarifications with such powders, aromatics, or herbs, as the country affords; bandage the body accurately with linen bandages, endued with one of the above mentioned liniments, or, in the absence of these, with turpentine, or with the tincture of myrrh and aloes, rubbing them on the body with coarse brushes; afterwards place the body (as was done with the bodies of Alexander and Agesilaus,) in a coffin filled with good honey, so that it may be surrounded on all sides, and penetrated within and without; and after having placed this well soldered coffin in another of wood, which must be well pitched, transport it to its place of destination. There it must be washed with spirits of wine before being exposed to the public.
A fairer specimen of embalming could not be chosen, than that which was made of Madame la Dauphine, by M. Riqueur, apothecary to the king and to this princess, assisted by his oldest son, apothecary to the king in survivorship. This embalming was executed with all the disinterestedness, ability, and prudence that could be desired, in the presence of M. D’Aquin, then first physician to the king; of M. Fagon, first physician to the late queen, and now first physician to the king; of M. Petit, first physician to Monseigneur le Dauphine; and M. Moreau, first physician to the late Madame la Dauphine; of M. Felix, first surgeon to the king; of M. Clèmint, master surgeon of Paris, and accoucheur of the said princess. M. Dionis, his first surgeon, operated, assisted by Baillet, ordinary surgeon, and by another ordinary surgeon: Madam, the Dutchesse d’Arpajon, lady of honour; Madame la Marechall de Rochefort, lady of the bed-chamber; and many other ladies. M. Riqueur had the kindness, knowing that I was interested in such operations, to communicate his method to me.
Description of the balm which was made for Madame la Dauphine.
“The heart, after having been emptied, washed with spirits of wine and dried, was placed in a glass vessel with this liquor; and this same organ, having been filled with a balm made of canella, cloves, myrrh, styrax, and benzoin, was put into a sack of cere-cloth of its own shape, which was again enclosed in a box of lead, cordiform, which was immediately soldered, to be presented to Madame la Duchesse d’Arpajon, who placed it in the hands of Monseigneur, the Bishop of Meaux, first almoner of the late Madame la Duchesse, who deposited it subsequently in the Val-de-Grace. The opening of the body was made most accurately by M. Dionis, her first surgeon. M. Riqueur filled all the cavities with stoupes and powdered balm. Incisions were made along the arms as far down as the hands; these were supplied with aromatic powder, after expressing all the blood and washing with spirits of wine; the same operation was repeated on the thighs, which were incised in different places down to the feet, and all was neatly sewed up. A coarse brush was used to rub the body with a hot liquid balm, made of turpentine, styrax, and the balsams of copaiba and Peru, as already prescribed. Each part was enveloped in bandages soaked in spirits of wine, placing as much as possible of the said aromatic powder between the body and the bandages. The body was dressed in a chemise and a religious tunic, and surrounded with other marks of a particular devotion, such as a little chain of iron, at the end of which was a cross, which the princess kept in a trunk which she had brought with her from Bavaria. The body was then enveloped in cere-cloth and compactly tied, in order to be placed in a leaden coffin; at the bottom and throughout which, there was four fingers depth of the said balm in powder. This coffin, being well soldered, was enclosed in another of wood, all the vacant spaces having been filled with dried aromatic herbs. The entrails, after being well prepared, were placed in a leaden coffin, with a great quantity of the same aromatic powders, which, being well soldered, was enclosed in a barrel of wood.”
We shall have occasion again to recur to this mode of preparation; observing only, that a subject thus mutilated, slashed, and stuffed, has more the resemblance of prepared meat than an embalmed body; that the sentiment which led to a recourse to embalming, ought to create a deep horror for the mutilation of a body which it was desirable to possess in all its integrity; that, in fine, the operation of embalming thus practised is more cruel for the feelings, than the natural destruction and dissolution of the parts.