Late Fall 2008
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Late Fall 2008
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Columns
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Tips from the Back Room “Dry Ice” By Brian Simmons
The use of dry ice in shipping unembalmed bodies has
always been a gray area. While some
airlines have permitted a limited amount of dry ice, others have refused to
accept any amount. The accepted amount of dry ice in a combo unit is five
pounds total. Some airlines will
allow a little more than this, but will charge extra. ¨ Place
the remains in a lightweight pouch, lay a second pouch in the combo unit. ¨ Place
the dry ice along the bottom, beneath the head, chest, abdomen and feet. ¨ Place
the pouched remains on top of the dry ice and zip up the outside bag.
Wrap the bag in the plastic furnished with the combo unit and ship as you
ordinarily would. If shipping a remains with dry ice, be sure to let the
airlines know when making your reservations.
Also make sure that the outside of the combo unit is visibly marked
“Dry Ice.” Some of the medical research companies who we ship to
regularly prefer that we use the chemical gel packs.
These can be purchased at any drug store.
We use approximately 15 of these distributed along the body with special
attention paid to the abdominal area. If
the body has been refrigerated twenty-four hours before shipment, there should
be no problems. Also remember to book your flight so the connections
are within four hours of each other and the remains will arrive at its
destination within twenty-four hours. Another use for dry ice is to remedy maggot
infestation. Our local pathologist
taught us to place an aluminum pan inside the body bag (usually between the
feet). Place about four pounds of
dry ice in the pan and pour in about two inches of hot water.
Close the bag and seal the zipper to keep vapors in.
(We cover it tightly with a casket plastic.)
After a few hours, the dry ice has filled the body bag with carbon
dioxide and asphyxiates the maggots and other parasites inside the bag.
The dry ice dissipates on its own and is no problem. About the author:
Brian Simmons owns and operates Springfield Mortuary
Service in Springfield. He currently
serves as President of the Ninth District of the Missouri Funeral Directors and
Embalmers Association.
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ADVERTISERS Aaron Beasley Embalming Service & Crematory American Crematory Equipment Co. Brian Simmons Springfield Mortuary Service Central Texas Funeral Transport Dallas Institute of Funeral Service Mid-States Professional Services Miller Coach & Limousine Sales Texas Funeral Directors Association
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