Preserving The Body
One of the main problems the embalmers faced was the appearance of dark spots on the skin, especially on the face and hands. They managed to solve the problem by the use of a variety of different reagents in between baths. For example, if a patch of wrinkling or discoloration occurred it was treated with an acetic acid diluted with water. Hydrogen peroxide could be used to restore the tissues' original colouring. Damp spots were removed by means of disinfectants like quinine or phenol.
Until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 the continued preservation work was funded by the Russian government. At that point the government discontinued financial support and now private donations support the preservation staff.
Read more about this topic: Lenin's Mausoleum
Famous quotes containing the words preserving the, preserving and/or body:
“The children despise their parents until the age of 40, when they suddenly become just like them—thus preserving the system.”
—Quentin Crewe (20th century)
“The poor President, what with preserving his popularity and doing his duty, is completely bewildered.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“When my body leaves me
I’m lonesome for it.
but body
goes away to I don’t know where
and it’s lonesome to drift
above the space it
fills when it’s here.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)