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The Science of Hugo Chavez's Long Term Embalming

Posted by Unknown on from the beyond-the-grave dept.

Hugh Pickens writes writes "Discover Magazine reports that Hugo Chavez will apparently get an embalming job designed to keep him looking alive for decades similar to that of Russia's Vladimir Lenin, whose body still lies in a mausoleum in Moscow's Red Square, nearly 90 years after his death. So how do you preserve a human body for decades without it turning into a pile of melted tissue? First, get to work quickly. Upon death, the human body starts decomposing immediately. The way to stop it is with formaldehyde, a preservative used for the past century, which inhibits the enzyme decomposition as well as killing bacteria. 'You pump the chemical in, and as the formaldehyde hits the cells of the body, it firms up the protein of the cell, or fixates it,' says Vernie Fountain, head of the Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills in Springfield, Mo. 'That's what makes them stiff.' With a body that will have to be on display for years, it's likely to require a top-shelf, super-strong solution. 'If I were doing Hugo Chavez, I would strengthen the solution and use more preservative product,' says Fountain. Next, get a good moisturizer. Formaldehyde preserves, but it also dries out the body. Vaseline or other moisturizers can preserve the look of skin, according to Melissa Johnson Williams, executive director of the American Society of Embalmers. Finally keep cool. Heat decomposes a body so for long term preservation, the body has to be kept at the temperature of a standard kitchen refrigerator, somewhere in the mid-40s. Lastly, if Venezuelans really want to keep Hugo Chavez around forever, like many other world figures, there's only one solution that works, according to Fountain. 'The best form of preservation is mummification.'"

5 of 215 comments (clear)

  1. Or be a saint by michaelmalak · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Or be a saint, blessed with incorruptibility.

  2. I find this rather nauseous... by Bearhouse · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've been lucky enough to have travelled around the world, including Moscow and Peking.
    Never felt the need to visit the chemically-preserved remains of "great" men there.

    Can anybody please cite me a truly humane, visionary leader who was embalmed in modern times, for public display?
    How about "despots"?
    Candidates should include Tito and Ataturk?

    Nope, not one. They did not need it, and neither did the population they left behind.

  3. Here's hoping by NotSoHeavyD3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    After they have him stuffed they fit him with animatronics so he'll jump up every so often to scare the shit out of tourists.

    --
    Did you know 80 to 90% of the moderators on slashdot wouldn't recognize a troll even if one dragged them under a bridge.
  4. Re:Super Cooling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    He was jerky enough when he was alive

  5. Re:Preserved To Show Who Took over $100 Billion... by gwolf · · Score: 5, Informative

    Umh...

    However, Venezuela doesn't have freedom of speech.

    Others have already questioned your saying. Yes, some years ago he cancelled a critical TV chain's title of concession (permit to transmit on air). That is, however, within his legal power, and at least in many other countries, I know of similar facts. But printed media, radio and TV can (and do) strongly oppose the government.

    Remember even the Soviet Union had elections

    There are several differences and important points:

    • The USSR had *single party* elections, while Venezuela has multi-party elections. When they have held referendums, of course, the options were "yes" and "no" - But when they voted for president, governors and congress, they had many parties to choose from. Last year he won by almost 60% to 40%, and they had only two running candidates.
    • The USSR was (and Cuba is) in many senses more democratic than the USA is now. Think of the system: It is a pyramid of indirect elections. Exemplifying quite simplisticly: Anybody in your block could run for, say, representing the block in the city council. The city governor is elected in the city council, from within the city council members. The provincial government is elected among city governments. The country is elected from within the provincial governments.
      That means that, yes, you have to be aligned with The Party (as in the USA you need to be aligned with Either of The Two Parties), and if you want to go up, you have to be a great politician (just as it stands in our current pseudo-democracies).
      Yes, for the people at large, getting an issue pushed up to the President was incredibly hard. But it is not perfect (although much better, yes) for us today.