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Some customs related to the burial of the dead may be controversial. And although the information about the possibility of poisoning by toxic substances secreted by the corpse is usually greatly exaggerated, many people today have a cautious approach to the tradition of waking the dead, kissing them or touching their hands goodbye. Especially since COVID-19 changed most social behavior.
- Catholic tradition dictates saying goodbye to deceased relatives. One of the funeral customs is to present a body in an open coffin before burial
- Touching and kissing the deceased before the funeral is prohibited in case of death from infectious diseases, including COVID-19
- After death, the human body secretes toxic substances, colloquially known as corpse venoms. However, the possibility of health complications after contact with them is rather negligible
- More information can be found on the TvoiLokony home page
We cultivate the funeral traditions of our great-grandparents less and less. The growing pace of life, changing sanitary habits, and finally – the coronavirus pandemic mean that there is a lack of time and technical possibilities to watch the deceased all night, show the corpse for many hours, kiss and touch the body. Apart from that there are doubts as to whether such traditions are safe for health.
Traditional farewell to the dead
The pandemic gave us food for thought in many areas of life, including in those related to the death and funeral of a loved one. Even though sanitation procedures and government-imposed regulations only apply to those who have died of infectious diseases, many people are prophylactically using them as the binding standard. The families of the deceased are less likely to meet with open coffins and say goodbye to their loved ones with a kiss or a shake of the hand. And only in some regions of the country, usually in the countryside, this rite is performed at home. If only because today people most often die in hospitals.
- Our body does not all die at the same time. He dies in installments
Meanwhile, a Catholic custom duly says goodbye to the deceased. You can read about the details of such a farewell in the publication “Dignity does not die” prepared by the Office of the Human Rights Defender and the Social Initiative (Nie) forgotten cemeteries. According to its content, “after death, the body of the deceased is washed, dressed in dignified clothes and placed in a coffin. The eyes and mouth of the deceased are closed. Often, objects that accompanied the deceased during his religious life are put in the coffin, for example: a medal, a cross, a rosary, an image of a patron saint or another image close to the deceased. »
However, the authors of the publication point out that there are many local customs or “brought in” by family members living in other countries. «In some places, there is a tradition of keeping the dead awake in their home or apartment. In some regions, the practice of keeping the dead man awake all night has been preserved – Empty Night, during which old songs are sung for the dead, to the patrons of good death »- we read in the guide. In the past, even before leaving the house for church, the host’s coffin was carried around the yard so that he could say goodbye. Today, in larger towns and villages, this type of vigil is usually replaced by gathering in the cemetery chapel or in a specially designated room in the funeral home.
- What happens to a corpse in a hospital? An identifier and a special capsule
The pandemic has changed manners
The popularity of the traditional “goodbyes” to the dead has been verified by the pandemic and related regulations. They impose, inter alia, a special way of burying the dead. In April 2020, changes were introduced to the ordinance of the Ministry of Health regulating funeral regulations, which set out the procedure for dealing with the corpses of people who died from a disease caused by coronavirus.
In line with these principles, special precautions should be taken, avoiding dressing up the body for burial and its presentation. In addition, the corpse is placed in a protective airtight bag and then placed in a coffin, which must be immediately sealed tightly. and spray with a disinfectant with a virucidal spectrum. According to the statutory principle, from the moment of death until burial, the corpse should be stored in such a way that it cannot cause any harmful effects on the surroundings. You cannot show them, touch or kiss them, it is best to stay near them as short as possible.
- A funeral in times of epidemics – how to organize it, what are the regulations?
– You can catch the coronavirus from a deceased person. The virus can survive for some time in the body’s secretions and in the environment. If proper precautions are not taken, there is a risk of contact with infectious material in the patient’s home. As a result, we can become infected with the virus – Dr. Jacek Krajewski, president of the Zielona Góra Agreement Federation, told Medexpress.
Toxic touch and deadly venom – truth and myth
While experts confirm the possibility of contracting an infectious disease from a deceased person, the information circulating among people and the web about the harmful effects of the so-called corpse venom on human health are largely a myth, with an admixture of truth. The truth is that the corpse gives off toxic substances. These are the so-called ptomaines (dead bodies). According to the PWN encyclopedia, they are primary amines, formed during normal digestive processes in the intestines and during other processes of anaerobic protein breakdown.
The best-known ptomaines include, among others cadaverine and putrescine. They may have a negative effect on the body, but there is little research on this topic. When the body decomposes, as many as 30 chemical compounds are released, which theoretically may be dangerous to the health of people around the deceased, but must come into direct, very close contact. that there is any risk. Just in case, it is recommended to disinfect the room where the body has been for a long time and avoid contact with the clothes of the deceased.
Also read:
- Can the deceased be a source of coronavirus infection?
- Why does the human body stiffen after death?
- Can hair and nails grow after a person dies?
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