October 2018

Page A16 OCTOBER 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A Funeral Directors Research,Inc. AMRA INSTRUMENT, LLC 623 N. Tower (P.O. Box 359) Centralia, WA 98531 “the shorter the supply line the better off you are” TM ® WEB DIRECT GIFT & PRICING www.amrainstruments.com www.preproomdirect.com Bay Memorials 321 S. 15 th St. • Escanaba, MI 49829 • (906) 786-2609 • Fax (906) 786-2692 Zerbel’s www.baymemorialsbabycaskets.com infant Cremation containers Available in 10”, 20”, 30” Flannel Lined Unisex Juvenile Pattern White Corrugated Cardboard Beginning at $20.00 Appropriate For Viewing By Matt Black Embalming Tips & Tools Generalized Embalming of the Hands (Part 7) The time delay between death and embalming has be- come more days than hours. The new “normal” embalm- ing is likely a problematic embalming. Our success as em- balmers facing these challenges hinges on the accuracy and detail of our case analysis and how well we utilize our technical skills. Embalming isn’t merely turning on the embalming ma- chine and pushing fluid. As embalmers we need to realize that the challenges change daily due to numerous medical interventions and drug therapies that neutralize formalde- hyde. The health care field has done a commendable job of keeping people alive much longer. To the embalmer these tremendous advances present a double-edged sword. Medical science has excelled to the point that the termi- nally ill are surviving much longer under treatments such as chemotherapy, long term drug therapy and experimen- tal dosages. These are just some of the many factors that may neutralize formaldehyde effectiveness. We frequently hear from some seasoned embalmers that modern high-quality injection chemicals are not perform- ing as well as they used to. Well the truth is the difference isn’t in the arterial chemicals but in the bodies that we are embalming. Medical science has changed much for the embalmer. Challenging is the new “normal” case, but one thing remains constant: The foundation of embalm- ing preservation is distribution and diffusion of the arte- rial chemical solution. The use of a co-injection or pre-in- public water supply lines. These old water lines contain scaling and interior deposits. In the United States 85% of the water is hard, according to a U.S. Geological sur- vey. If you recall, hard water contains high amounts of mineral ions, especially magnesium and calcium. Hard water promotes blood clotting. This becomes a real issue for the embalmers and prevents perfusion and diffusion of the arterial chemicals at the cellular level. Have you ever thought about having the water that you use in your embalming machine tested? Consult your chemical sales representative to arrange to have their chemistry department test your water. In addition, not all water corrective conditioners are the same. It is recommended to always use a high-quality water condi- tioner and check with your sales representative. Another important principle of what a true water cor- rective conditioner should do is maintain optimum pH of the water in your embalming machine and, more im- portantly, buffer the pH of the deceased body to opti- mum level. In our next installment, we will continue the discussion of pH along with embalming techniques and analysis. jection with a water corrective has become more crucial even when using high quality injection chemicals. I quote Dodge chemist Himayun “Sam” Mirza : “co-injections are inexpen- sive insurance against unpleasant surprises.” One of the biggest embalming failures is lack of distribu- tion to the deep tissue and, in some cases, the hands and feet. Simply stated, if your injection chemical never reaches the tissue you will have no or minimal preservation. The delivery of your injection chemical needs to be both a mechanical process from your embalming machine and a chemical process from specialty fluids used as a co-injection or pre-injection. These specialty pre/co-injection chemicals are very effective in helping to deliver arterial injection chem- icals for all cases and especially shine during complex and dif- ficult cases. The pre/co-injection chemicals will allow your arterial injection chemicals to work at their optimal efficien- cy during distribution and perfusion at the cellular level dur- ing your embalming process. This practice will increase your total distribution of injection chemicals and promote con- trolled drainage. This insures we have tissue preservation and families will have a positive viewing experience. A discussion of these concepts with the mortuary chemical sales representative that visits your funeral home is strongly encouraged. In addition, it’s always advisable to look at the Safety Data Sheets for your embalming chemicals to famil- iarize yourself with the components of those chemicals. Water corrective conditioner is a generic term we use that doesn’t get the publicity that it deserves. Many embalmers think these products are simply a conditioner for the water in the embalming machine tank. Unfortunately, the scenario of having perfect water is a fal- lacy. Let’s just take a minute to look at the term hard water. Hard water is becoming more of an issue because of dated Matt Black has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the State of Pennsylvania for over 20 years. He represents The Dodge Company in Central and Western Pennsylvania. In addi- tion to being a graduate of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortu- ary Science, Matt also holds degrees in Bio-Medical Engineering Technology and Industrial Management. Matt has also attended the Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, Springfield, MO, and is licensed in eye and corneal enucleation. He has presented at Dodge Embalming Seminars as well as numer- ous local seminars in Pennsylvania. He can be reached by email at mblack@Dodgeco.com. www.nomispublications.com Funeral Home & Cemetery News Contributors share insights and exchange ideas. Blogs Funeral Supply Store 1-800-392-2936 • www.funeralsupplystore.com Hydraulic Embalming Table $2,795 00 FREE SHIPPING! Folding Embalming Table $1,295 00 FREE SHIPPING! Magnum Mortuary Cot $1,495 00 1,000 lb. Capacity FREE SHIPPING! Dressing Table $895 00 FREE SHIPPING! Elite Mortuary Cot $895 00 600 lb. Capacity New Catalog Released of Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s Publications FORT COLLINS,CO— Companion Press announces the publication of a new 2018 catalog. The catalog high- lights more than 80 books and oth- er publications available from Com- panion Press and Dr. Alan Wolfelt. Companion Press is dedicated to the education and support of both the bereaved and bereavement caregivers. Featured in this catalog are two new resources to be released in the coming months. The first, Grief Day by Day, is available in November 2018. This book will walk readers through sim- ple, every day practices that can give structure to their grief and hold them up when they’re feeling like they might collapse. In fact, when they’re in grief, rituals are essentially effective beelines to healing. Companion Press’s May 2019 title is The Dementia Care Partner’s Work- book. This book, by Dr. Edward Shaw, a dually trained physician and mental health counselor, provides les- sons for support group participants or individuals who are care partners of a loved one with Alzheimer’s dis- ease or another type of dementia. Author, educator, and grief coun- selor Dr. Alan Wolfelt serves as direc- tor of the Center for Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, CO. The author of Grief One Day at a Time, Understanding Your Grief, and many other books for grief caregivers and mourners, Dr. Wolfelt is commit- ted to helping people mourn well so they can live well and love well. He is available for interviews on his re- sources as well as the normal, neces- sary journey through grief. The Companion Press cata- log is available in both physical and digital formats. To view and to learn more about Dr. Wol- felt’s books on grief and loss, visit www.centerforloss.com/bookstore or call 970-226-6050.