King of Poisons: A History of Arsenic by John Parascandola

Author:John Parascandola [Parascandola, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Medicine, History, Criminology, Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-1597978095
Publisher: Potomac Books
Published: 2012-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

Gannal’s formula for his embalming fluid included arsenic as one of the ingredients. Tranchina also used arsenic in his process. While the arsenic was effective for preservation purposes, concerns were soon raised that embalming with arsenic might interfere with criminal prosecutions. The legal community in France petitioned for a ban on the use of arsenic in embalming because it could interfere with murder investigations involving arsenical poisoning. Defense attorneys could argue that any arsenic found in an analysis of an embalmed corpse was the result of embalming, rather than poisoning. France did prohibit the use of arsenic in embalming in 1846, but it continued to be used in other countries.

Arsenic embalming became common in the United States during the Civil War. The demand for the preservation of corpses grew during the war, as many families wanted the remains of their loved ones transported home for funerals and burial. The practice of exhibiting the embalmed corpse became popular in the United States during and after the war, introducing a new model for funerals. The key figure in Civil War embalming was Dr. Thomas Holmes (1817–1900).

Holmes was born in New York City, and, although he studied medicine, it is not clear if he ever graduated. He practiced medicine and serve as a coroner’s physician in New York City and later in Brooklyn in the 1850s. During this time, he experimented with different chemicals for embalming, including Gannal’s solution. He was asked by the War Department to assist with the embalming of dead soldiers. He trained American surgeons accompanying the troops onto the battlefield to perform embalming and helped set up partnerships between embalming surgeons and undertakers. Holmes also sold his embalming fluid,whose composition he kept secret. Arsenic, however, was a key ingredient.

Holmes also set up an embalming practice in Washington, D.C., during the war. He claims to have ultimately prepared about four thousand bodies, although this number could be an exaggeration. Among his “clients” were eight generals. When the Civil War ended, he returned to Brooklyn, where he only occasionally did any embalming, though he continued to sell his embalming fluid. Other civilian embalmers also set up business to embalm soldiers during the war.38

As suggested above, the practice of embalming of bodies for funeral display became increasingly common in the period after the Civil War, especially in the United States. The function of embalming was also passed from physicians to undertakers. As Trompette and Lemonnier explained:

Funeral historians agree that the American Civil War marked a turning point in “The American Way of Death,” notably in terms of the legitimization and democratization of embalming for body display. Underlying this Cultural Revolution, the activity of the embalming physicians fostered the commercial development of embalming (techniques, fluids, instruments, etc.), which was soon to be taken over byundertakers with whom they had set up alliances. Over the following decades, the professional embalming map was redrawn as physicians were more or less removed and an increasing number of embalming chemical companies appeared.39

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.