Must Know Information - Vocab Flashcards
Antemortem injuries resulting from friction of the skin against a firm object resulting in the removal of the epidermis
Abrasion
The process of taking in, as in a colored object which absorbs certain rays of light and reflects other rays giving the object its recognizable color
Absorption
Group of chemicals used in addition to vascular and cavity embalming fluids; includes but is not limited to hardening compounds, preservative powders, sealing agents, mold preventative agents, and pack application agents
Accessory Chemical
These levels are established to ensure adequate protection of employees at exposures below the the OSHA limits, but to minimize the compliance burdens for employers whose employees have exposures below the 8 hour permissible exposure limit (PEL)
For formaldehyde, this is .5 ppm
Action Level/Al-Exposure Limits
Dyes which aid in restoring a life-like surface pigmentation to a body and also stain the body tissue cells
Active Dyes
Staining Dyes
Cosmetic Dyes
That pressure which is indicated by the injector gauge needle when the arterial tube is open and the arterial solution is flowing into the body
Actual Pressure
A disease with a more or less rapid onset and short duration
Acute
Soft whitish crumbly or greasy material that forms upon the postmortem hydrolysis and hydrogenation of body fats
Adipocere
Grave Wax
Assimilation of gas, vapor, or dissolved matter by the surface of a solid or liquid
Adsorption
In the presence of free oxygen
Aerobic
Period immediately before somatic death
Agonal Period
Method of injection drainage in which embalming solution is injected and then injection is stopped while drainage is open which is a type of restricted drainage
Intermittent Drainage
In the absence of free oxygen
Anaerobic
Severe generalized edema
Anasarca
A descriptive reference for locating arteries and veins by means of anatomical structures which are known
Anatomical Guide
Points of origin and points of termination in relation to adjacent structures; used to designate the boundaries of arteries
Anatomical Limits
The body is erect, feet together, palms facing forward, and thumbs are pointed away from the body
Anatomical Position
Before Death
Antemortem
Ingredient of embalming fluids that retards the natural postmortem tendency of blood to become more viscous or prevents adverse reactions between blood and other embalming chemicals
Anticoagulant fluid
A non-toxic disinfectant suitable for the use on animal tissue
Antiseptic
Death brought about by the cessation of respiration or improper functioning of the respiratory apparatus
One of the three modes of death described by Bichat
Apnea
Condition in which the manifestations of life are feebly maintained
Apparent Death
A solution in which water is the solvent
Aqueous Solution
The concentrated, preservative embalming chemical that will be diluted with water to form the arterial solution for injection into the arterial system during vascular embalming
Arterial (Vascular) Fluid
The purpose of this is for inactivating saprophytic bacteria and rendering the body tissues less susceptible to decomposition
Arterial (Vascular) Fluid
The mixture of arterial (vascular) fluid and water which is used for the arterial injection and may include supplemental fluids
Arterial Solution
The term applied to a number of pathological conditions causing a thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries
Arteriosclerosis
Accumulation of serous fluids in the peritoneal cavity
Ascites
Insufficient intake of oxygen resulting from numerous causes aka Apnea
Asphyxia
Indicates a weakness or feebleness of any organ or function
Asthenia
Fatty degeneration or thickening of the walls of the larger arteries occurring in atherosclerosis
Atheroma
A form of arteriosclerosis marked by the deposition of lipids in the inner layer of arterial walls
Atherosclerosis
The presence of bacteria in the blood
Bacteremia
Resins combined with oil; a fragrant, resinous, oily exudate from various trees and plants
Balsamic Substance
Base of the Axillary Space
Arm Pit
Established by drawing a line along the fold of skin which envelops the lateral border of the pectoralis major muscle
Anterior Boundary
Established by drawing a line along the fold of skin which envelops the lateral border of the latissimus dorsi muscle
Posterior Boundary
Established by drawing a line which connects the two points where the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles blend into the chest wall
Medial Boundary
Established by drawing a line which connects the two points where the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscles blend into the arm
Lateral Boundary
A network of stitches which cross the borders of a cavity or excission to anchor fillers and to sustain tissues in their proper position
Basket Weave Suture
Cross Stitch
Acute, deep-seated inflammation in the skin which usually begins as a subcutaneous swelling in a hair follicle
Boil aka Furuncle
Individual stitch knotted at the tissue edge; may be applied prior to embalming to align tissues
Bridge Suture aka Temporary Interrupted Suture
An injury caused by a blow without laceration; a contusion
Bruise (Ecchymosis)
Vestibule of the oral cavity; the space between the lips, gums, and teeht
Buccal Cavity
General deterioration of the body; a state of ill health, malnutrition, and wasting
May occur in many chronic diseases as certain malignancies and advanced pulmonary tuberculosis
Wasting Syndrome
Cachexia
Dead human body used for medical purposes
Including transplantation, anatomical dissection, and study
Cadaver
A prolongation of the last violent contraction of the muscles into the rigidity of death aka instantaneous rigor mortis
Cadaveric Spasm
The dome-like superior portion of the cranium; that portion removed during cranial autopsy
Calvarium
Circumscribed inflammation of the skin and deeper tissues that ends in suppuration and is accompanied by systemic symptoms, such as fever and leukocytosis; Several communicating boils of the skin and subcutaneous tissues with the production and discharge of pus and dead tissue
Carbuncle
The total sum of those considerations given the case at hand, beginning before the embalming procedure is begun and continuing throughout the operation
Case Analysis
A condition in which the vital signs of life are feebly maintained and there is a waxy rigidity of the body
Catalepsy
An embalming instrument which is connected to a bottle of cavity fluid to aid in injecting the cavity fluid into the various cavities of the body
Cavity Injector
The center of fluid distribution is
Ascending and/or arch of the aorta
The center of venous drainage is
Right atrium of the heart
A disease with a more or less slow onset and long duration
Chronic
An influential person in medical embalming who published a book about a method of embalming without evisceration
Gabrial Clauderus
A phase of somatic death lasting from 5-6 minutes during which life may be restored
Clinical Death
Anaerobic, saprophytic, spore-forming bacterium responsible for tissue gas; referred to as a gas bacillus
Clostridium Perfrindens
The injection of a specialized chemical in conjunction with the routine arterial chemical
Co-injection
A fluid used primarily to supplement and enhance the action of vascular (arterial) solutions
Co-injection Fluid
The irreversible cessation of brain activity and loss of consciousness; death beginning at the brain
Coma
Disinfection practices carried out during the embalming process
Concurrent Disinfection
Method of drainage in which drainage occurs continuously during vascular (arterial) injection
Concurrent Drainage
Mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the white portion of the eye
Conjunctiva
Transparent part of the tunic of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil and admits light into the interior
Cornea
That portion of the cornea recovered for transplantation. The cornea and sclera considered together comprising the tunica fibrosa or firbrous coat of the eye
Corneal Sclera Button
Legal term referring to a dead human body
Corpse
An official of a local community who holds inquests concerning sudden, violent, and unexplained deaths
Coroner
Having an abnormal amount o fat on the body
Corpulence aka Obesity
That part of the human skull which ecloses the brain
Cranium
A luminous appearance like a candle flame, superstitiously thought to prestage death
Death Candle
A kind of ignis fatuus (glow) supposed to forebode death
Death Fire
Decomposition of proteins by enzymes of aerobic bacteria
Decay
Separation of compounds into simpler substances by the action of microbial and/or autolytic enzymes
Decomposition
Chemicals having the capability of displacing an unpleasant odor or of altering an unpleasant odor so that it is converted to a more pleasant one
Deodorants
Masking Agents
Perfuming Agents
The deep layer of skin under the epidermis
Derma Dermis Skin Corium True Skin
Separation of substances in solution by the difference in their rates of diffusion through a semipermeable membrane
Dialysis
Selective Diffusion
The movement of molecules or other particles in solution from an area of greater concentration until uniform concentration is reached
Diffusion
Passage of some components of the injected embalming solution from an intravascular to an extravascular location; movements of the embalming solutions from the capillaries into the interstitial fluids
Diffusion Solution
Anatomical terms describing fingers and toes
Digits
An agent, usually chemical, applied to inanimate objects/surfaces to destroy disease causing microbial agents, but usually not bacterial spores
Disinfectant
The destruction and/or inhibition of most pathogenic organisms and their products in or on the body
Disinfection
The movement of embalming solutions from the point of injection throughout the arterial system and into the capillaries
Distribution Solution
Condition that results when the body part that dies and little blood and remains aseptic and occurs when the arteries but not the veins are obstructed
Dry Gangrene
Abnormal accumulation of fluids in tissue or body cavities
Edema
Dropsy
Free floating object in the blood stream
Embolism
Procedures that isolate or remove the bloodborne pathogen hazard from the workplace such as sharps disposal container, self-sheathing needles
Engineering Controls
An organic catalyst produced by living cells and capable of autolytic decomposition
Enzyme
The outermost layer of skin
Cuticle or scarf skin
Epidermis
A microorganism that prefers an environment devoid of oxygen but has adapted so that it can live and grow in the presence of oxygen
Facultative Aerobe
An organism that prefers an oxygen environment but is capable of living and growing in its absence
Facultative Anaerobe
Removal of particles (liquid or solid) from a solution, as it passes through a membrane or other partial barrier
Filtration
The movement of arterial solution through the capillaries into the intercellular spaces, from an intravascular to an extravascular position
Fluid Diffusion
The movement of the arterial solution from the point of injection through the blood vascular system
Fluid Distribution
Colorless, strong smelling gas that when used in solution is a powerful preservative and disinfectant; a potential occupational carcinogen
Formaldehyde
HCHO
CH2O
An influential person in medical embalming who was the first to make embalming available to the public and who also wrote the first embalming text
Jean Gannal
Necrosis, death of tissues of part of the body usually due to deficient or absent blood supply
Gangrene
Condition that results when the body part that dies had little blood and remains aseptic; the arteries but not the veins are obstructed
Dry Gangrene
Necrotic tissue that is wet as a result of inadequate venous drainage; may be accompanied by bacterial infection
Wet Gangrene
Antemortem necrosis in a wound infected by an anaerobic gas forming bacillus, the most common etiologic agent being clostridium perfringens
Gas Gangrene
Extravascular movement of preservative fluids by gravitational force to the dependent areas of the body
Gravity Filtration
Chemical in powder form that has the ability to absorb and to preserve
Hardening Compound
An influential person in medical embalming who translated Gannal’s text into english and promoted embalming for sanitary purposes
Richard Harlan
An influential person in medical embalming who discovered the circulation of blood in 1628
Dr. William Harvey
The non protein portion of hemoglobin; the red pigment of the hemoglobin
Heme
The red respiratory portion of the red blood cells; iron containing pigment of red blood cells functioning to carry oxygen to the cells
Hemoglobin
Destruction of red blood cells that liberates hemoglobin
Hemolysis
An influential person in medical embalming who is regarded as the”Father of Modern Embalming,” and “Father of Embalming in the United States”
Dr. Thomas Holmes
Body of a deceased person, including cremated remains
Human Remains
Chemical that increases the ability of embalmed tissue to retain moisture
Humectant
An influential person in medical embalming for whom Hunter’s Canal is named
John Hunter
An influential person in medical embalming who is acknowledged as the first person to successfully adopt a method of arterial injection to preserve
Dr. William Hunter
A solution having a greater concentration of dissolved solute than the solution to which it is compared
Hypertonic Solution
Antemortem and/or postmortem settling of the blood and/or other fluids to dependent portions of the body
Hypostasis
A solution having a lesser concentration of dissolved solute than the solution to which it is compared
Hypotonic Solution
A preparation aid used in mouth closure
It is inserted into a needle injector and forced into the mandible and maxilla
Injector Needle
A type of suture used to close incisions in such a manner that the ligature remains entirely under the epidermis
Intradermal Suture
Hidden Stitch
Between the cells of a structure
Intercellular
Space between the ribs
Intercostal Space
Method of drainage in which the drainage is stopped at intervals while the injection continues; a type of restricted drainage
Intermittent Drainage
Fluid in the supporting connective tissues surrounding body cells
Interstitial Fluid
Within a cell or cells
Intracellular
A solution having an equal concentration of dissolved solute to that of a standard of reference
Isotonic Solution
Conditions characterized by excessive concentrations of bilirubin in the skin and tissues and deposition of excessive bile pigment in the skin, cornea, body fluids, and mucous membranes with the resulting yellow appearance of the patient
Jaundice
Icterus
Wound characterized by irregular tearing of tissue
Laceration
A fine growth of downy hair which is sometimes found on the face of a baby
Lanugo
Any change in structure produced during the course of a disease or injury
Lesion
A chronic or acute disease of unregulated clonal proliferation of the stem cells of the blood forming tissues; resident cells eventually replaced by tumor cells
Leukemia
Increase in number of leukocytes in the blood, generally caused by infection and usually transient
Leukocytosis
A line drawn or visualized on the surface of the skin to represent the approximate location of some deeper-lying structure
Linear Guide
Postmortem, intravascular, red-blue discoloration resulting from hypostasis of blood can usually be cleared via arterial injection and drainage
Livor Mortis
Postmortem Lividity
Cadaveric Lividity
A single, noose-like suture, not pulled taut before knotting, which stands from the skin and which anchors restorative materials
Loop Stitch
The cavity or opening of a vein, artery, or intestine
The further away from the heart, the smaller this becomes
Lumen
A specific antibody acting destructively upon cells and tissues
Lysin
Organelle that exists within a cell, but separate from the cell; contains hydrolytic enzymes that break down proteins and certain carbohydrates
Lysosome
In its broadest sense, refers to the moistening, and softening, of any tissue decomposing in a liquid medium
Maceration
An insect larva; especially flies
Maggot
An influential person in medical embalming who was the first to note capillary circulation and was later known as the father of microscopic anatomy, father of histology
Marcello Malpighi
The horseshoe shaped bone forming the inferior jaw
Mandible
A paired bone with several processes that form the skeletal base of most of the superior face, roof of the mouth, sides of the nasal cavity, and floor of the orbit
Maxilla
Toward the midline
Medial
An official elected or appointed to investigate suspicious or unnatural death
Medical Examiner
That amount of radioactive material in which 37 million disintegrate each second
Millicurie
Chemicals added to the embalming solution to deal with varying demands predicated upon the embalming fluid to be used, type of embalming, the environment, and the embalming fluid to be used
Modifying Agents
Space between the roof of the mouth and the flood of the cranial cavity
Nasal Cavity
Antemortem, physiological death of the cells of the body followed by their replacement
Necrobiosis
A postmortem examination of the organs and tissues of a body to determine cause of death or pathological condition
Autopsy
Necropsy
Pathological death of a tissue still a part of the living organism
Necrosis
A mechanical device used to impel specially designed metal pins into bone
Needle Injector
The mouth and the vestibule, or the opening to the throat
Oral Cavity
The passage of solvent from a solution of lesser to one of greater solute concentration when the two solutions are separated by a semipermeable membrane
Osmosis
Hindered Diffusion
Method by which solutes and/or solvents cross through a membrane with no energy provided by the cells of the membrane
Passive Transport System
To force a fluid through and organ or tissue, especially by way of the blood vessels; injection during vascular embalming
Perfusion
The maximum legal limits established by OSHA for regulated substances
Based on employee exposure that are time-weighted over an eight hour work shift
When these are exceeded, employers must take proper steps to reduce employee exposure
For formaldehyde, this is .75 ppm
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
Antemortem, pinpoint, extravascular blood discoloration visible as purplish hemorrhages of the skin
Petechia
An antiseptic/disinfectant employed to dry moist tissues and to bleach
Phenol
Carbolic Acid
Condition in which interstitial spaces contain such excessive amounts of fluid that the skin remains depressed after palpation
Pitting Edema
Extravascular color change that occurs when heme, released by hemolysis of red blood cells, seeps through the vessels walls and into the body tissues aka laking
Postmortem Stain
The action of a force against an opposing force
Pressure
That pressure which is indicated by the injector gauge needle when the arterial tube is open and the arterial solution is flowing into the body
Actual Pressure
The pressure exerted by the blood on the vessel walls measured in millimeters of mercury
Blood Pressure
The difference between potential and actual pressure
Differential Pressure
The amount of pressure produced by an injection device to overcome initial resistance within or on the vascular system
Injection Pressure
Pressure developed as the flow of embalming solution is established and the elastic arterial walls expand and then contract, resulting in filling of the capillary beds and development of pressure filtration
Intravascular Pressure
The pressure indicated by the injector gauge needle when the injector motor is running an the arterial tubing is clamped off
Potential Pressure
Positive intravascular pressure causing passage of embalming solution through the capillary causing passage of embalming fluid from an intravascular to a wall to diffuse with the interstitial fluids
Pressure Filtration
Organic compound found in plants and animals; can be broken down into amino acids
Protein
A suture made around the circumference of a circular opening or puncture to close it or to hold the margins in position
Purse String Suture
Supplemental fluid, used with the regular arterial solution, whose purpose is to retain body moisture and retard decomposition
Restorative Fluid aka Humectant
Method of injection wherein both common carotid arteries are raised
Restricted Cervical Injection
Inner lining of the eye that receives the images formed by the lens and transmits those images to the brain through the optic nerve
Retina
An influential person in medical embalming who is known as the Father of Embalming
Frederick Ruysch
Process of soap formation; as related to decomposition, the conversion of fatty tissues of the body into a soapy waxy substance called adipocere or grave wax
Saponification
Pathologic state, resulting from the presence of microorganisms or their products in the blood or other tissues
Sepsis
Condition characterized by the multiplication of bacteria in blood
Septicemia
Legal limits established by OSHA to which worker can be exposed continuously for a short period of time without damage or injury
Exposures at this should not be for more than 15 minutes and not repeated more than 4 times per work day
Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL)
Drug-induced edema wherein the excess fluid is located within the cell. Upon palpation, there is no noticeable depression
Solid Edema
The substance that is dissolved in a solution
Solute
Liquid containing dissolved substance
Solution
A liquid holding another substance in solution
Solvent
Death of the organism as a whole
Somatic Death
Distension of the tissues beneath the skin by gas or air; an antemortem condition brought about by a surgical procedure or trauma
Subcutaneous Emphysema
Fluid injected for purposes other than preservation and disinfection
Supplemental Fluid
Chemical that reduces the molecular cohesion of a liquid so it can flow through smaller apertures
Surfactant
Postmortem accumulation of gas in tissues or cavities brought about by an anaerobic gas forming bacillus
Tissue Gas
An evaluation of exposures that are time weighted over an established period
Allows the exposure levels to be averaged generally over an eight hour time period
Time-Weighted Average
Father of bacteriology
He made his own microscopes which were superior to any of that time
Gave the first complete account of the red blood cell
Demonstrated the capillary connections between arteries and veins
Father of Microbiology
Anthony Van Leeuwenhoek
Controls that reduce the likelihood of exposure by altering the manner in which a task is performed
Prohibiting recapping of needles
Work Practice Controls
A method of sewing an incision along the edges without entering the opening whereby the suture becomes invisible and the line of suture becomes depressed, which lends it ease of concealment by waxing
Worm Suture
Inversion
Draw Stitch
