New idea in mortuary science: Dissolving bodies with lye

New idea in mortuary science: Dissolving bodies with lye

news.yahoo.com

CONCORD, N.H. - Since they first walked the planet, humans have either buried or burned their dead. Now a new option is generating interest — dissolving bodies in lye and flushing the brownish, syrupy residue down the drain.

The process is called alkaline hydrolysis and was developed in this country 16 years ago to get rid of animal carcasses. It uses lye, 300-degree heat and 60 pounds of pressure per square inch to destroy bodies in big stainless-steel that are similar to pressure cookers.

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Related News Links:
www.ecogeek.org
www.concordmonitor.com

Why in the world would anyone fund this?

At the fall of the 3rd reich (Nazi Germany) the only proof that we had of mass murder and disposal was the bodies.

This could be used in concentration camps and leave absolutely zero evidence behind!! Simply flush the residue down the line.



news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Choronzon


Thats an extreme take on this, isn't it? If anyone dissolved millions of people, I'm sure the evidence would crop up in the huge slurry-like deposits turning up in streams and rivers. It would hardly be unnoticeable.

Could be good this. Is it really worth using up valuable land to bury the dead? In my mind, it makes more sense to dispose of the body in a way that isn't going to use up valuable real estate storing their bodies for centuries to come.

I read a long time ago ,about a few murderers that had used lye to cover evidence, its more than just a few if my memory is right, its funny took so long to figure it out????????? weird.

I meant to add , could this be a mass information order or something? telling who knows who how to get rid of a lot of folk in a hurry? like myanmar if i spelt it right...

[edit on 8/5/2008 by azzllin]

I saw a true crime show once in which a man poured lye on his murder victim on top of his compost pile and all it did was preserve her remains.

I believe in the show "Breaking Bad" they use lye to cover up a murder they committed. I don't think it's that new of a development.

Mitch

reply to post by stumason


What's wrong with cremation then? It gets rid of the body and turns it into ash instead of goo. Do we really want to be drinking water that is processed downstream from a goo factory (body disposal factory)?

reply to post by Choronzon


Extremely interesting coincidence that you brought up the Third Reich.

One of the methods they used to dispose of the bodies was actually to utilize lye.

Lye is also known as Sodium Hydroxide. When in contact with fats from the human body, it forms soap.

Here is a link outlining the process used by the Nazis: www.historiography-project.org...

There is something inherently disgusting and evil with such a practice. Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'll stick to cremation.

Originally posted by MitchMagic
I believe in the show "Breaking Bad" they use lye to cover up a murder they committed. I don't think it's that new of a development.

Mitch

No, what they used was hydroflouric acid (or was hit hydrochloric acid?).

It seems to me like cremation is even better, I'd much rather have ashes as a result than a bunch of nasty corpse goo. Ashes can just be scattered or kept by the family, who would want that goo in a jar on their shelf? Also it would be unnerving to know they were just flushing this crap down the drain.



[edit on 8-5-2008 by DirtyPete]

Lye is also known as Sodium Hydroxide. When in contact with fats from the human body, it forms soap.

"IRISH SPRING" IS PEOPLE!!!!!!



I acknowledge the advantages of the process, but I too would prefer "Bury" to "Slurry".

Seems to me I remember this occurring in Oscar Wilde's novel (the name escapes me, but he only wrote one) where the main character asks another guy to dissolve the body of a man he killed. I'm not sure if that would work, but the idea was around even then.

The difference in this method that makes it newsworthy, rather than hundred year old news, is that this technique is using a lot of pressure and heat in addition to the corrosive lye.

It is rather scary to imagine bodies disappearing this way. I'd have a hard time imagining that anyone would want their remains disposed of this way, and even if they did, cremation is a lot easier.

I think this is a logical idea. I like the idea of our bodies being dissolved to nothing once we leave them. I mean, anything to encourage a move away from cemeteries.

Which is sad to say, as some of my fondest memories involve cemeteries. I would like to know how much land is currently holding rotting bodies. And, would dissolving bodies be cheaper? Because as much as I like the idea, it seems a bit much for mainstream America to embrace.

I think it is very spiritual, actually. Like it brings you back to your basest element, basically to the form you took at your beginning.

reply to post by 44soulslayer


Did you actually read the article? The author disproves this actually happened, pretty conclusively.

reply to post by hotbakedtater


I too, love cemeteries! Great childhood memories at Bonaventure in Savannah... my family and I have discussed that this would be an excellent alternative to the traditional methods of handling our corpses... we would like to create lava lamps with with residue - so much cooler than urns of ashes setting around! Stella0stella

"IRISH SPRING" IS PEOPLE!!!!!!

I acknowledge the advantages of the process, but I too would prefer "Bury" to "Slurry".

Fight Club anyone?

Who knows, the next genocidal maniac might just turn out to be a beautician.

... who needs soap... lots and lots of soap!


I could say that this article just explained to every wannabe murderer how to dispose of a body.
... but it's not exactly difficult to light a match instead.

Isn't man-kind's destructive nature just so cute?...

[edit on 5-10-2008 by johnsky]

I don't really see the point of this process when we already have cremation. Burying people seriously needs to be phased out as it just takes up land, in the end this will come as we'll run out of space to bury people.

Cremation i enough in my opinion, and pretty clean really.

This isn't new at all. People during the times of the plague used quick lyme to dissolve the bodies of those who had died when they buried them... Using lye to do this has been around for thousands of years and this whole topic is sick and a waste of time.

It's the second biggest gimmick of all time, since "Metal Storm".

I mean, they are mostly trying to conserve energy... It's a lot easier to do by driving an electric vehicle or replacing incandecent bulbs with fluorescent ones. Or watching less TV

Corpse goo in your soap and drinking water...makes one more environmentally conscious, doesn't it?

Personally I prefer my body launched into the Sun where my atoms will fuse and spread light for eternity throughout the universe, but who has the bucks?