What Does the Thanatopractor Do?

When a loved one dies, and you take him or her to the morgue, the remains are taken care of by professionals. These are the thanatopractors. It is important to know that their function is both essential for preserving the deceased’s body and preparing for the funeral. To practice this job, you must genuinely desire to support the grieving family. We will tell you everything about the position of thanatopractor in the following article.

Analysis of the Body of the Deceased

As soon as the body of a deceased person is brought to the morgue or to a funeral home, the thanatopractor is called upon to use his skills. He or she observes the body and effectively justifies that the supposedly deceased shows positive signs of death, including lesions, a green abdominal patch, rigidity, etc.

Preserves the Body of the Deceased

He or she uses preservatives such as formalin and special creams to slow the body’s natural deterioration. They also cast or make a death mask for the deceased. He administers hygienic care to the body and helps to increase the time of burial of the body, leaving you with 24 hours more.

He closes the eyelids of the deceased to attenuate the mortal aspect of the face and closes the jaw of the dead. He introduces an active substance (formaldehyde) into the body to stabilize the body cells. All this is done in a ventilated room or cold burial chamber.

Prevents the Spread of Disease

The thanatopractor disinfects the body of the deceased and thus prevents the spread of infectious diseases. He or she removes gases and fluids from the deceased’s body, thus eliminating any bacteria.

He cleans any wounds and stitches them to prevent the spread of bacteria. In addition, if there are special requests from relatives or requirements regarding the last wishes of a deceased person regarding organ donation or the donation of the body to science, it is the thanatopractor who takes the lead in this operation.

Since the work of the thanatopractor is primarily regulated, one of his tasks consists of attaching a bottle containing a sample of the various products used on the ankle of the deceased.

Arranges the Setting in the Living Room

The thanatopraxy expert is responsible for placing the deceased in the living room. This allows family and friends to pay their last respects to the deceased. It is also the thanatopractor who places the body in the right position inside the coffin so that the priest can say the mass for the burial. He places the body on a decorated table that is to be placed in the living room.

Careful Presentation of the Deceased

The thanatopractor is responsible for taking care of the deceased’s appearance in the best possible way. He or she makes every effort to ensure that the dead looks well-groomed and rested. He/she performs various tasks such as

• shaving ;
• the mortuary toilet ;
• the make-up of the deceased with adapted cosmetics;
• and many other tasks.

If the need arises, this professional reshapes certain body members with wax, cotton, or plastic. He also dresses the body with all the necessary funeral articles provided by the family or the funeral services.